Take a photo of a barcode or cover
queer_bookwyrm's reviews
520 reviews
A Study in Black Brew by Marie Howalt
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
5 ⭐ CW: (provided by the author) references to intoxication, abduction, obstructed breathing, guns, death mention, blood, violence, ableism
A Study in Black Brew by Marie Howalt is a standalone cozy sci-fi mystery novella in the universe of her series, Colibri Investigations. This was a fun alien take on the Sherlock Holmes story, A Study in Scarlet.
We follow Kellieth, a Wendek with a chronic illness that is no longer able to work in the field, and has moved back to their home world where their basic needs are taken care of. They make a connection with their neighbor Raithan, who peaks their interest with his skills of deduction. When a human is found dead in an empty house, Raithan enlists Kellieth's help to find the killer. Despite the danger, Kellieth finds themselves invigorated by the work, even if they are annoyed by Raithan's smugness and know it all vibe.
This was such a fun read! I love anything Sherlock Holmes, so this was a no brainer for me. I love that we get to know more about the Wendek aliens from Howalt's other books. It's nice to read scifi that isn't centered around humans and it gives a nice bit of world-building.
Raithan is charming if a bit oblivious as to how other people's minds work. I like the Sherlock/Watson dynamic he has with Kellieth. As an MC with a chronic illness, Kellieth really helps to enlighten us about what it is like living with a disability like that. Constantly having people check in on you and your health, making assumptions about, the infantilizing nature of it all, while also being grateful that someone is aware of their limitations. Kellieth's chronic illness is part of the story and part of who they are, but that is not what the story is about.
Honestly, I could read stories with these two forever, so I hope we get more installments from our alien friends!
A Study in Black Brew by Marie Howalt is a standalone cozy sci-fi mystery novella in the universe of her series, Colibri Investigations. This was a fun alien take on the Sherlock Holmes story, A Study in Scarlet.
We follow Kellieth, a Wendek with a chronic illness that is no longer able to work in the field, and has moved back to their home world where their basic needs are taken care of. They make a connection with their neighbor Raithan, who peaks their interest with his skills of deduction. When a human is found dead in an empty house, Raithan enlists Kellieth's help to find the killer. Despite the danger, Kellieth finds themselves invigorated by the work, even if they are annoyed by Raithan's smugness and know it all vibe.
This was such a fun read! I love anything Sherlock Holmes, so this was a no brainer for me. I love that we get to know more about the Wendek aliens from Howalt's other books. It's nice to read scifi that isn't centered around humans and it gives a nice bit of world-building.
Raithan is charming if a bit oblivious as to how other people's minds work. I like the Sherlock/Watson dynamic he has with Kellieth. As an MC with a chronic illness, Kellieth really helps to enlighten us about what it is like living with a disability like that. Constantly having people check in on you and your health, making assumptions about, the infantilizing nature of it all, while also being grateful that someone is aware of their limitations. Kellieth's chronic illness is part of the story and part of who they are, but that is not what the story is about.
Honestly, I could read stories with these two forever, so I hope we get more installments from our alien friends!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Violence, and Blood
Minor: Death
The Storm Runner by J.C. Cervantes
adventurous
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
4 ⭐ CW: Bullying, ableism
The Storm Runner by J.C. Cervantes is book one in the Storm Runner series. This middle grade fantasy is Percy Jackson meets Maya mythology. This was a fun, fast paced read with disabled Mexican-American MC.
We follow 13 year old Zane in New Mexico with a volcano in his backyard. Zane has been getting homeschooled in order to stay away from the bullies that call him names like Sir-Limps-A-Lot and McGimpster, until he is admitted to a private school. He meets a new girl there that turns his life upside down. Turns out, Zane is destined to release the god of death and destruction, and is being stalked by demons until he releases their boss. His dog Rosie gives everything to protect him, and Zane is determined to save her from the underworld. Things get way more complicated than he is ready for, and has run ins with all kinds of gods and creatures from Mayan myth.
This was a great introduction to Maya mythology and great Latinx representation. The characters were wonderful. Zane's wrestling obsessed uncle; Brooks the girl who can shapeshift into a hawk; a grumpy chicken seer; an old man with a deadly Chile; and the most loyal doggo. One of the major themes was about accepting your disability without letting it define you. The story doesn't aim to fix or cure the disability, but makes it the thing that is special about Zane.
Another great middle grade series from Rick Riordan Presents!
The Storm Runner by J.C. Cervantes is book one in the Storm Runner series. This middle grade fantasy is Percy Jackson meets Maya mythology. This was a fun, fast paced read with disabled Mexican-American MC.
We follow 13 year old Zane in New Mexico with a volcano in his backyard. Zane has been getting homeschooled in order to stay away from the bullies that call him names like Sir-Limps-A-Lot and McGimpster, until he is admitted to a private school. He meets a new girl there that turns his life upside down. Turns out, Zane is destined to release the god of death and destruction, and is being stalked by demons until he releases their boss. His dog Rosie gives everything to protect him, and Zane is determined to save her from the underworld. Things get way more complicated than he is ready for, and has run ins with all kinds of gods and creatures from Mayan myth.
This was a great introduction to Maya mythology and great Latinx representation. The characters were wonderful. Zane's wrestling obsessed uncle; Brooks the girl who can shapeshift into a hawk; a grumpy chicken seer; an old man with a deadly Chile; and the most loyal doggo. One of the major themes was about accepting your disability without letting it define you. The story doesn't aim to fix or cure the disability, but makes it the thing that is special about Zane.
Another great middle grade series from Rick Riordan Presents!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism and Bullying
Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-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
4.0
4 ⭐ CW: death/murder
Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite is the first book in the Dorothy Gentlemen series, a cozy sci-fi mystery novella. I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This was pitched as Becky Chambers meets Miss Marple. This was a fun, short read, with plenty of queer characters, perfect for murder mystery fans.
We follow Dorothy, a ship's detective, as she wakes up aboard the HMS Fairweather, a generation ship in space. On this ship, all passengers have immortality for the long journey, and are provided a new body upon request, and their minds are stored in a library. Dorothy wakes up to find she is not in a body of her own. In fact she shouldn't be awake at all. Someone else aboard the ship has been found murdered. Dorothy must find out why the passenger was murdered and why her own memory book was erased.
I like Dorothy as a character. She's a no nonsense auntie type. Although she's in the body of a much younger person, she's definitely got older lady energy. We see her relationship with her nephew Ruthie, who helped design the ship, and learn a bit about her before she stored herself in the library. All the characters we see in the story are queer, including Dorothy. The mystery felt quite low stakes since no one really does forever on the ship unless their mind book is destroyed. It wasn't a difficult mystery to figure out, but the way it was discovered and explained was interesting. I do wish it had been a little longer, so we could have gotten to know Dorothy a little more and gotten to know more about the Fairweather, and why these people are on a generation ship in the first place.
This was a light and easy read, and I would be interested in reading a book two. Murder by Memory releases on March 28th.
Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite is the first book in the Dorothy Gentlemen series, a cozy sci-fi mystery novella. I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This was pitched as Becky Chambers meets Miss Marple. This was a fun, short read, with plenty of queer characters, perfect for murder mystery fans.
We follow Dorothy, a ship's detective, as she wakes up aboard the HMS Fairweather, a generation ship in space. On this ship, all passengers have immortality for the long journey, and are provided a new body upon request, and their minds are stored in a library. Dorothy wakes up to find she is not in a body of her own. In fact she shouldn't be awake at all. Someone else aboard the ship has been found murdered. Dorothy must find out why the passenger was murdered and why her own memory book was erased.
I like Dorothy as a character. She's a no nonsense auntie type. Although she's in the body of a much younger person, she's definitely got older lady energy. We see her relationship with her nephew Ruthie, who helped design the ship, and learn a bit about her before she stored herself in the library. All the characters we see in the story are queer, including Dorothy. The mystery felt quite low stakes since no one really does forever on the ship unless their mind book is destroyed. It wasn't a difficult mystery to figure out, but the way it was discovered and explained was interesting. I do wish it had been a little longer, so we could have gotten to know Dorothy a little more and gotten to know more about the Fairweather, and why these people are on a generation ship in the first place.
This was a light and easy read, and I would be interested in reading a book two. Murder by Memory releases on March 28th.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death and Murder
Becoming Nicole: The Transformation of an American Family by Amy Ellis Nutt
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
4 ⭐ CW: Transphobia, homophobia, homophobic slurs, bullying, suicide mention, suicidal thoughts, anxiety
Becoming Nicole: The Transformation of an American Family by Amy Ellis Nutt is a nonfiction book chronicalling the very public transition of Nicole Maines. This is a book I've been meaning to read for a while since Nicole and her family are from Maine, and are largely the reason transgender students in Maine gained the right to use the bathroom that best matches their gender identity. I also borrowed it from the Downeast Rainbow Alliance's (the organization I work for) lending library.
This book gives us a deep play by play of Nicole's life before she was Nicole and how her being a transgender girl affected her family and her experiences at school. We see that Nicole was very aware of being a girl and not a boy from a very young age, even when her father, Wayne, didn't want to accept that. We see how her mother Kelly fought endlessly for Nicole's right to be herself, as well as seeing Wayne's eventual acceptance of having a trans daughter.
We also see the family struggle with the harassment and bullying from kids and adults alike just for Nicole being who she was. Although this book came out a decade ago, it serves as an important historical perspective on what trans rights looked like before the information was widely available, known and understood. It shows the battles that had to be fought just to gain the simple right of going to the bathroom, which we are now still fighting under the current Presidential administration. It's so important to see how far we have come with transgender rights, even though we are taking steps backward as we speak. If there is one thing to take away from this book, is that the cat is out of the bag. Trans people are here to stay, and we won't stop fighting for our rights.
I didn't love all the background information we got on every single person talked about in here or the preoccupation with biology and science of transgender individuals, but I think this is a great place to start for those who want to understand what is at stake, especially for trans youth.
Nicole is now a happy, healthy adult, and an actress in Hollywood, and I am so proud that she and her family fought for our rights in the state of Maine.
Becoming Nicole: The Transformation of an American Family by Amy Ellis Nutt is a nonfiction book chronicalling the very public transition of Nicole Maines. This is a book I've been meaning to read for a while since Nicole and her family are from Maine, and are largely the reason transgender students in Maine gained the right to use the bathroom that best matches their gender identity. I also borrowed it from the Downeast Rainbow Alliance's (the organization I work for) lending library.
This book gives us a deep play by play of Nicole's life before she was Nicole and how her being a transgender girl affected her family and her experiences at school. We see that Nicole was very aware of being a girl and not a boy from a very young age, even when her father, Wayne, didn't want to accept that. We see how her mother Kelly fought endlessly for Nicole's right to be herself, as well as seeing Wayne's eventual acceptance of having a trans daughter.
We also see the family struggle with the harassment and bullying from kids and adults alike just for Nicole being who she was. Although this book came out a decade ago, it serves as an important historical perspective on what trans rights looked like before the information was widely available, known and understood. It shows the battles that had to be fought just to gain the simple right of going to the bathroom, which we are now still fighting under the current Presidential administration. It's so important to see how far we have come with transgender rights, even though we are taking steps backward as we speak. If there is one thing to take away from this book, is that the cat is out of the bag. Trans people are here to stay, and we won't stop fighting for our rights.
I didn't love all the background information we got on every single person talked about in here or the preoccupation with biology and science of transgender individuals, but I think this is a great place to start for those who want to understand what is at stake, especially for trans youth.
Nicole is now a happy, healthy adult, and an actress in Hollywood, and I am so proud that she and her family fought for our rights in the state of Maine.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Transphobia
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide
Merciless Saviours by H.E. Edgmon
adventurous
dark
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
4.0
4 ⭐ CW: (provided by the author) incest, childhood sexual abuse, other sexual violence involving minors, violence, murder, torture, body horror, nonconsensual pregnancy mention, pregnancy loss mention, animal death, mental illness, suicidality, depersonalization
Merciless Saviors by H.E. Edgmon is book two in The Ouroboros duology. I did really enjoy this one, but for some reason I think I liked book one a little more. This one is just as raw, chaotic, and messy, but it took a very different turn in vibes. Spoilers for book one ahead.
We pick up with Gem Echols I'm the church after they have used the Ouroboros to kill Zephyr and gain his powers. With Gem being the Magician, the god that is supposed to keep the balance, things are now suddenly very out of balance. The other gods powers aren't working the way they should. Rory's power of communing with the animals now makes it so everyone can hear them, not just her; Enzo's power isn't working at all; Death can reanimate corpses; and the Muse is being his art to life. Gem, Rory, and Enzo must search for a way to restore the balance, but they will have to make the biggest sacrifice in order to achieve it.
We really get to see Gem spiral out of control here. They are having a hard time hanging on to reality. Gem continues to make not great decisions due to poor impulse control, which affects all the gods, pulling them all back to the Ether to face what they left behind. Even while back in their own world Gem doesn't really feel like the self, and constantly makes things worse. In the end, the story is really about letting go, accepting the love you're given, and being okay with not having complete control. It's also about giving yourself permission to heal.
These are all such complex characters. There are no heroes, but they all have the capacity to love and to change as humans. I love that Edgmon writes messy queer characters that reflect the self-loathing and confusion a lot of people feel. Not every character needs to be the hero to matter, and the same is true in life. There is so much pain in this story, but so much heart.
I will be keeping an eye out for more H.E. Edgmon in the future. They might become an auto buy author for me.
Merciless Saviors by H.E. Edgmon is book two in The Ouroboros duology. I did really enjoy this one, but for some reason I think I liked book one a little more. This one is just as raw, chaotic, and messy, but it took a very different turn in vibes. Spoilers for book one ahead.
We pick up with Gem Echols I'm the church after they have used the Ouroboros to kill Zephyr and gain his powers. With Gem being the Magician, the god that is supposed to keep the balance, things are now suddenly very out of balance. The other gods powers aren't working the way they should. Rory's power of communing with the animals now makes it so everyone can hear them, not just her; Enzo's power isn't working at all; Death can reanimate corpses; and the Muse is being his art to life. Gem, Rory, and Enzo must search for a way to restore the balance, but they will have to make the biggest sacrifice in order to achieve it.
We really get to see Gem spiral out of control here. They are having a hard time hanging on to reality. Gem continues to make not great decisions due to poor impulse control, which affects all the gods, pulling them all back to the Ether to face what they left behind. Even while back in their own world Gem doesn't really feel like the self, and constantly makes things worse. In the end, the story is really about letting go, accepting the love you're given, and being okay with not having complete control. It's also about giving yourself permission to heal.
These are all such complex characters. There are no heroes, but they all have the capacity to love and to change as humans. I love that Edgmon writes messy queer characters that reflect the self-loathing and confusion a lot of people feel. Not every character needs to be the hero to matter, and the same is true in life. There is so much pain in this story, but so much heart.
I will be keeping an eye out for more H.E. Edgmon in the future. They might become an auto buy author for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Incest, and Sexual violence
Minor: Miscarriage and Pregnancy
A Blade So Black by L.L. McKinney
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
4 ⭐ CW: violence, cursing, police violence mention, death of a parent mention, HP references
A Blade So Black by L.L. McKinney is book one in The Nightmare-Verse series. This was a great Alice in Wonderland retelling featuring plenty of Black Girl Magic and a nerdy bisexual Black girl. Love. This was pretty fast paced and enjoyable.
We follow Alice, who after losing her father, meets Hatta who is sort of a mentor Watcher type who trains her to become a Dreamwalker. In this world, Wonderland is made up of the dreams of humans, and only humans can defeat the nightmares. When Hatta is poisoned, she must try to find the cure without putting everyone in danger, while also trying to navigate regular life in Atlanta with an overprotective mom.
I love that Alice is into cosplaying and references nerdy stuff throughout. We do get some HP references, but this also came out before we knew how awful that woman is. We also get a sapphic side couple that is a wonderful princess/knight situation. I love all the different ways the author incorporated aspects of Alice in Wonderland into the story without just making a 1:1 story. I do wish we had gotten to see a bit more of Wonderland with a little more world-building.
I look forward to book two, because as of now, it's unclear what the motives of the villain(s) are. It is a little predictable, but I think that's just the YA-ness of it. Still a fun read.
A Blade So Black by L.L. McKinney is book one in The Nightmare-Verse series. This was a great Alice in Wonderland retelling featuring plenty of Black Girl Magic and a nerdy bisexual Black girl. Love. This was pretty fast paced and enjoyable.
We follow Alice, who after losing her father, meets Hatta who is sort of a mentor Watcher type who trains her to become a Dreamwalker. In this world, Wonderland is made up of the dreams of humans, and only humans can defeat the nightmares. When Hatta is poisoned, she must try to find the cure without putting everyone in danger, while also trying to navigate regular life in Atlanta with an overprotective mom.
I love that Alice is into cosplaying and references nerdy stuff throughout. We do get some HP references, but this also came out before we knew how awful that woman is. We also get a sapphic side couple that is a wonderful princess/knight situation. I love all the different ways the author incorporated aspects of Alice in Wonderland into the story without just making a 1:1 story. I do wish we had gotten to see a bit more of Wonderland with a little more world-building.
I look forward to book two, because as of now, it's unclear what the motives of the villain(s) are. It is a little predictable, but I think that's just the YA-ness of it. Still a fun read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing and Violence
Minor: Police brutality and Death of parent
Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
4 ⭐ CW: sexual assault, sexual content, child sexual abuse, self-harm, suicidal ideation, suicide attempt
Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi is a semi biographical literary fiction, and was their debut novel. This was the first book I've read by them that wasn't YA, and it had a very different vibe. It was nothing like I was expecting.
We follow Ada, a Nigerian girl who is inhabited by spirits that were trapped within her at birth, so she always has "one foot on the other side." This leads her to "go mad". Most of the story is actually told by the spirits. We get povs from different spirits to see how they are experiencing Ada's life. Ada was always an emotionally volatile child, but when she goes to America, she experiences a sexual assault that further splits her personalities in order to protect her.
Emezi uses Igbo folklore to bring the story to life. It's so interesting to see what westerners would describe as a kind of mental illness, Emezi explains it as being Ogbanje. There is a lot of discussion of self and the fight that happens within with the spirits. It's also interesting that this spiritual novel reflects the author's experiences.
The prose is very descriptive and beautiful, but a little heavy handed and too floral for my taste. This book was less than 300 pages, but it felt like it took forever, because I really had to pay attention and think about each word being used. It was an incredibly well written book, it just isn't what I normally read. I think I'll stick to their YA books. They have a new one coming out soon.
Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi is a semi biographical literary fiction, and was their debut novel. This was the first book I've read by them that wasn't YA, and it had a very different vibe. It was nothing like I was expecting.
We follow Ada, a Nigerian girl who is inhabited by spirits that were trapped within her at birth, so she always has "one foot on the other side." This leads her to "go mad". Most of the story is actually told by the spirits. We get povs from different spirits to see how they are experiencing Ada's life. Ada was always an emotionally volatile child, but when she goes to America, she experiences a sexual assault that further splits her personalities in order to protect her.
Emezi uses Igbo folklore to bring the story to life. It's so interesting to see what westerners would describe as a kind of mental illness, Emezi explains it as being Ogbanje. There is a lot of discussion of self and the fight that happens within with the spirits. It's also interesting that this spiritual novel reflects the author's experiences.
The prose is very descriptive and beautiful, but a little heavy handed and too floral for my taste. This book was less than 300 pages, but it felt like it took forever, because I really had to pay attention and think about each word being used. It was an incredibly well written book, it just isn't what I normally read. I think I'll stick to their YA books. They have a new one coming out soon.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Serwa Boateng's Guide to Witchcraft and Mayhem by Roseanne A. Brown
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
5 ⭐ CW: fantasy violence
Serwa Boateng's Guide to Witchcraft and Mayhem by Roseanne A. Brown is book two in the Serwa Boateng series. Another great middle grade read! These books are fast paced, and have a distinct voice that makes you love Serwa.
We pick up with Serwa after the events of book one when she finds out a monumental secret her parents kept from her. Now she is dealing with having to figure out her new power and who she is. She feels stuck between the thing she's always been and the thing she's been taught is evil. Now she works to find the Midnight Drum to free her grandmother, but she realizes too late that might not be the best idea.
We learn more about Boahinmaa and abayifo in this book, and we see Serwa's growing relationship with her aunt. We also see her growing disillusionment toward the Okomofuo. We also get a heist! I just love how focused on friendship and family these books are. I don't want to spoil anything, so I won't say much else, but there is a giant two headed crocodile. One head is a happy enthusiastic puppy, and the other is an emo cynical puppy lol.
I'm looking forward to book three coming out later this year!
Serwa Boateng's Guide to Witchcraft and Mayhem by Roseanne A. Brown is book two in the Serwa Boateng series. Another great middle grade read! These books are fast paced, and have a distinct voice that makes you love Serwa.
We pick up with Serwa after the events of book one when she finds out a monumental secret her parents kept from her. Now she is dealing with having to figure out her new power and who she is. She feels stuck between the thing she's always been and the thing she's been taught is evil. Now she works to find the Midnight Drum to free her grandmother, but she realizes too late that might not be the best idea.
We learn more about Boahinmaa and abayifo in this book, and we see Serwa's growing relationship with her aunt. We also see her growing disillusionment toward the Okomofuo. We also get a heist! I just love how focused on friendship and family these books are. I don't want to spoil anything, so I won't say much else, but there is a giant two headed crocodile. One head is a happy enthusiastic puppy, and the other is an emo cynical puppy lol.
I'm looking forward to book three coming out later this year!
Content Warnings
Minor: Violence
Children of Anguish and Anarchy by Tomi Adeyemi
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
4.75 ⭐ CW: violence, death, torture, blood, gore
Children of Anguish and Anarchy by Tomi Adeyemi is the final book in the Legacy of Orïsha trilogy. I have waited years for this book since I started this series back in 2018. I have loved this series so much, and it's been a wild ride. This last book did not disappoint. I'm just sad that this story and the world has come to a close. I could follow these characters forever. Possible spoilers for book 2 ahead.
We pick up right after the end of book two when Zélié, In an, Amari, Tzain, and other maji are taken during the battle between the maji and the tîtans. The foreigners have taken them so their King can find a girl with the sun in her blood, so he can sacrifice her and become a god. Things do not work out for the foreigners, because as we know, maji do not go quietly, but the Skulls always seem like they are one step ahead. We meet another new set of people called the New Gaīans, who have their own unique powers and cool hidden city. Zélie and the Gaīans must work together to save both of their people to defeat the Skulls.
It felt like such a departure in the story at first when our main characters are taken from Orïsha, but we finally see the strife between maji and everyone else ends when they face a common enemy. We finally get pov chapters from Tzain, which were much needed to develop his character. We got so much new magic and world-building, I loved it. So much happens in this book, it's crazy that it happens all in under 400 pages. I did feel like the ending was a little abrupt, but I think that's just because the whole book was so fast paced, we didn't really get a moment to slow down.
I'm so sad to be leaving this world. I wish we could stick around and see how Orïsha rebuilds itself, and how they ally with the Gaīans. There was a spark of romance for Amari that I thought didn't really get to be explored. I just really want a short story to do a proper wrap up. I can't gush enough about this series. Thank you Tomi Adeyemi for bringing these characters to life.
Children of Anguish and Anarchy by Tomi Adeyemi is the final book in the Legacy of Orïsha trilogy. I have waited years for this book since I started this series back in 2018. I have loved this series so much, and it's been a wild ride. This last book did not disappoint. I'm just sad that this story and the world has come to a close. I could follow these characters forever. Possible spoilers for book 2 ahead.
We pick up right after the end of book two when Zélié, In an, Amari, Tzain, and other maji are taken during the battle between the maji and the tîtans. The foreigners have taken them so their King can find a girl with the sun in her blood, so he can sacrifice her and become a god. Things do not work out for the foreigners, because as we know, maji do not go quietly, but the Skulls always seem like they are one step ahead. We meet another new set of people called the New Gaīans, who have their own unique powers and cool hidden city. Zélie and the Gaīans must work together to save both of their people to defeat the Skulls.
It felt like such a departure in the story at first when our main characters are taken from Orïsha, but we finally see the strife between maji and everyone else ends when they face a common enemy. We finally get pov chapters from Tzain, which were much needed to develop his character. We got so much new magic and world-building, I loved it. So much happens in this book, it's crazy that it happens all in under 400 pages. I did feel like the ending was a little abrupt, but I think that's just because the whole book was so fast paced, we didn't really get a moment to slow down.
I'm so sad to be leaving this world. I wish we could stick around and see how Orïsha rebuilds itself, and how they ally with the Gaīans. There was a spark of romance for Amari that I thought didn't really get to be explored. I just really want a short story to do a proper wrap up. I can't gush enough about this series. Thank you Tomi Adeyemi for bringing these characters to life.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, and Blood
Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
5 ⭐ CW: (provided by the author) violence, abuse, body horror, mass murder, toxic relationship dynamics, discussions of reproductive coercion, allusions to childhood sexual abuse, references to miscarriage, domestic violence, sexual assault, and suicide
"They tell me you are vulgar, dangerous, bloodthirsty, self-absorbed, manipulative, and all-around, affront to sensibility. What do you have to say for yourself, Wu Zetian?
Yes, that's pretty much who I am. Still want to marry me, Your Majesty?"
Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao is book two in the Iron Widow series. I have been waiting so long for this book, and it did not disappoint! There is so much female rage in this, just like in book one, but this time it's much more politically focused. This was a very long book, but it kept my attention the whole time. Possible spoilers for book one ahead.
We pick up with Zetian after the events of book one, and she finds herself to have inadvertently started a revolution by waking Emperor Qin Zheng. Now Zetian has to live with the choices she has made and the people she has killed to get here. We find that despite her justifiable rage against the establishment, Zetian is quite naive about what happens after you topple a government and what it actually takes to have power and rule a country. We see her very unhealthy relationship with Qin Zheng, and the heartbreak and betrayal she endures from someone she loves.
Absolutely so much happened in this book, it's impossible to summarize it all. We get way more on the political side of things in this book as we see Zetian learning more about how government works and learns about the laborist movement. I have such complicated feelings about Qin Zheng, because one the one hand, he and Zetian's relationship is extremely toxic and he's definitely a dick, but on the other hand, he has some fairly progressive political ideas. Don't get me wrong, Zetian is also extremely toxic to Zheng as well. We learn so much more about the Hunduns and about the gods in the Heavenly Court. Some wild stuff happens at the end that leaves us on a cliffhanger about Shimin.
I'm so mad we had to wait so long for this book, and now I have to wait again for book three! 😭 I just want these characters to be happy. I loved this book, this series is definitely a favorite. Many tabs were used in the reading of this book.
"They tell me you are vulgar, dangerous, bloodthirsty, self-absorbed, manipulative, and all-around, affront to sensibility. What do you have to say for yourself, Wu Zetian?
Yes, that's pretty much who I am. Still want to marry me, Your Majesty?"
Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao is book two in the Iron Widow series. I have been waiting so long for this book, and it did not disappoint! There is so much female rage in this, just like in book one, but this time it's much more politically focused. This was a very long book, but it kept my attention the whole time. Possible spoilers for book one ahead.
We pick up with Zetian after the events of book one, and she finds herself to have inadvertently started a revolution by waking Emperor Qin Zheng. Now Zetian has to live with the choices she has made and the people she has killed to get here. We find that despite her justifiable rage against the establishment, Zetian is quite naive about what happens after you topple a government and what it actually takes to have power and rule a country. We see her very unhealthy relationship with Qin Zheng, and the heartbreak and betrayal she endures from someone she loves.
Absolutely so much happened in this book, it's impossible to summarize it all. We get way more on the political side of things in this book as we see Zetian learning more about how government works and learns about the laborist movement. I have such complicated feelings about Qin Zheng, because one the one hand, he and Zetian's relationship is extremely toxic and he's definitely a dick, but on the other hand, he has some fairly progressive political ideas. Don't get me wrong, Zetian is also extremely toxic to Zheng as well. We learn so much more about the Hunduns and about the gods in the Heavenly Court. Some wild stuff happens at the end that leaves us on a cliffhanger about Shimin.
I'm so mad we had to wait so long for this book, and now I have to wait again for book three! 😭 I just want these characters to be happy. I loved this book, this series is definitely a favorite. Many tabs were used in the reading of this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, and Suicide