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queer_bookwyrm's reviews
499 reviews
In the Midst of Omens by Nicole Bailey
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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) grief/loss, death, war, gore, cussing, sexual content
In the Midst of Omens by Nicole Bailey is book one in the Legend of Gilgamesh duology. Another mythology retelling banger from Nicole! As usual, her characters are wonderful and compelling, and you can't help but love them and root for them, even when you already know what will happen based on the original story. Nicole weaves a new story from the oldest written story in history and makes it as gay as it was meant to be! It was a trip seeing my name in the acknowledgements of this book. I have been a staunch Nicole Bailey hype person since connecting with her on Instagram. You won't regret reading her books.
We follow Gilgamesh, King of Uruk and blessed with god-blood. He is ruthless, selfish, and arrogant. He is known for taking many wives and pulling other kings off their thrones and shaming them in front of their people. Gilgamesh is constantly looking to the future, trying to craft a legacy that will outlive him, making him unable to live and enjoy the moment. When the gods create gods blessed wild man, Enkidu, Gilgamesh finds himself contending with something new and not so easy to defeat.
I loved Enkidu right away! I loved an unconventional cinnamon roll. Enkidu is so innocent and pure, and exists to humble Gilgamesh and bring him down a peg. He's kind of like a muscular manic pixie dream girl lol. Gilgamesh is a little hard to stomach at first until Enkidu shows up and starts sanding away those edges. I do love the way Nicole has depicted Gilgamesh; he's both generous and selfish, loving and fierce. I also loved Shamhat as Gilgamesh 's Queen. She was so strong, and wasn't afraid to stand up to her husband. She had so much agency.
Though this was based on the Epic of Gilgamesh, this was a love story through and through. It was beautiful seeing two very masculine figures learn to be vulnerable with each other and learn how to love. It was very sweet, and also quite spicy 🥵. Not only is this an MM romance, but we also see polyamory between Gilgamesh, Shamhat and her partners, including a FF relationship. Nicole has also found a way to include nonbinary characters as priests of Inanna. Of course, Nicole can't just let us be happy at the end, so I'm very much looking forward to book two to see how it all ends.
In the Midst of Omens by Nicole Bailey is book one in the Legend of Gilgamesh duology. Another mythology retelling banger from Nicole! As usual, her characters are wonderful and compelling, and you can't help but love them and root for them, even when you already know what will happen based on the original story. Nicole weaves a new story from the oldest written story in history and makes it as gay as it was meant to be! It was a trip seeing my name in the acknowledgements of this book. I have been a staunch Nicole Bailey hype person since connecting with her on Instagram. You won't regret reading her books.
We follow Gilgamesh, King of Uruk and blessed with god-blood. He is ruthless, selfish, and arrogant. He is known for taking many wives and pulling other kings off their thrones and shaming them in front of their people. Gilgamesh is constantly looking to the future, trying to craft a legacy that will outlive him, making him unable to live and enjoy the moment. When the gods create gods blessed wild man, Enkidu, Gilgamesh finds himself contending with something new and not so easy to defeat.
I loved Enkidu right away! I loved an unconventional cinnamon roll. Enkidu is so innocent and pure, and exists to humble Gilgamesh and bring him down a peg. He's kind of like a muscular manic pixie dream girl lol. Gilgamesh is a little hard to stomach at first until Enkidu shows up and starts sanding away those edges. I do love the way Nicole has depicted Gilgamesh; he's both generous and selfish, loving and fierce. I also loved Shamhat as Gilgamesh 's Queen. She was so strong, and wasn't afraid to stand up to her husband. She had so much agency.
Though this was based on the Epic of Gilgamesh, this was a love story through and through. It was beautiful seeing two very masculine figures learn to be vulnerable with each other and learn how to love. It was very sweet, and also quite spicy 🥵. Not only is this an MM romance, but we also see polyamory between Gilgamesh, Shamhat and her partners, including a FF relationship. Nicole has also found a way to include nonbinary characters as priests of Inanna. Of course, Nicole can't just let us be happy at the end, so I'm very much looking forward to book two to see how it all ends.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Grief, and War
Moderate: Cursing and Gore
Queens of Fennbirn by Kendare Blake
adventurous
dark
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
4 ⭐ CW: violence, death, blood, child abuse mention
Queens of Fennbirn by Kendare Blake is a companion prequel novella from the Three Dark Crowns series containing two short stories: The Young Queens and The Oracle Queen. Possible spoilers for the series ahead.
The first story, The Young Queens follows Mirabella, Arsinoe, and Katherine before the time of Three Dark Crowns. We see them as children at the Black Cottage and with their foster families. We get to see why Queen Camille made the decision to hide Arsinoe and Katherine's true gifts. We also get to see more of Jules and how she grew and claimed Camden, her familiar. Although this was a nice little bit of extra, I don't think this prequel adds any value or anything new to the existing series.
The second story, The Oracle Queen, was much more interesting, and makes me wish we got all the stories of the previous queens. We follow Queen Elsabet, the last Oracle Queen. In the series we hear about how she had visions of treachery and sentenced three whole houses to death without evidence, and was locked away in a tower for the rest of her reign because of it. We finally get to see what actually happened. This story was full of political machinations and treachery, but the kind the queen was accused of. It was a very sad story. We also see that the Poisoner Arrons have always been ruthless, political monsters.
Queens of Fennbirn by Kendare Blake is a companion prequel novella from the Three Dark Crowns series containing two short stories: The Young Queens and The Oracle Queen. Possible spoilers for the series ahead.
The first story, The Young Queens follows Mirabella, Arsinoe, and Katherine before the time of Three Dark Crowns. We see them as children at the Black Cottage and with their foster families. We get to see why Queen Camille made the decision to hide Arsinoe and Katherine's true gifts. We also get to see more of Jules and how she grew and claimed Camden, her familiar. Although this was a nice little bit of extra, I don't think this prequel adds any value or anything new to the existing series.
The second story, The Oracle Queen, was much more interesting, and makes me wish we got all the stories of the previous queens. We follow Queen Elsabet, the last Oracle Queen. In the series we hear about how she had visions of treachery and sentenced three whole houses to death without evidence, and was locked away in a tower for the rest of her reign because of it. We finally get to see what actually happened. This story was full of political machinations and treachery, but the kind the queen was accused of. It was a very sad story. We also see that the Poisoner Arrons have always been ruthless, political monsters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Blood
Minor: Child abuse
Rust in the Root by Justina Ireland
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-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, death, animal death, blood, racism, racial slurs
Rust in the Root by Justina Ireland is a historical fantasy based on the Great Depression/Dust Bowl era. Just like her Dread Nation duology, Ireland has killed it (pun intended)! I'm loving the historical revisionism with a fantasy/horror element. Like her previous duology, this book tackles institutional racism, but also confronts the very real fact that some black folks also help to uphold these structures.
We follow Laura, a lesbian mage who just wants her mage license so she can become a great baker, raveling wonderful and tasty treats for important people. In order to do this she has to apprentice under a licensed mage, and joins the Bureau of the Arcane's Conservation Corps, Black Auxiliary. This government group of mages are treated like an expendable clean up crew, since black folks practicing the mystic arts are considered to be less important than Mechomancy, the type of magic white people wield to power mechanical constructs.
Joining the Auxiliary turns out to be more than Laura bargained for when she and a group of mages are sent to Ohio to fix the Ohio Deep Blight, an area the Great Rust has made difficult to live in and difficult to ravel in. What they find is that Ohio is no ordinary Blight, and that something they thought had disappeared in history is back and killing black mages for power.
I loved Laura's character. She's snarky and smart, and hopelessly attracted to pretty ladies. She turns out to be way more powerful than she knew she could be. The magic system is very cool. It's based on African root working, and has different disciplines for working the Dynamism: Cerebromancy, Faunomancy, Floramancy, Illusion, Pavomancy, Petramancy, Sanamancy, Figuramancy, Necromancy, and Wytchcraft (the use of all the disciplines together). In this story, the Klan used Necromancy to control, kill, and exploit enslaved Africans.
I love having more historical fiction following Black people that isn't about slavery. We also get a couple of gay male side characters, but romance is not really part of the plot. I kind of wish we had a second book to follow up with Laura after everything happened. I don't want to spoil things, so just go read this book!
Rust in the Root by Justina Ireland is a historical fantasy based on the Great Depression/Dust Bowl era. Just like her Dread Nation duology, Ireland has killed it (pun intended)! I'm loving the historical revisionism with a fantasy/horror element. Like her previous duology, this book tackles institutional racism, but also confronts the very real fact that some black folks also help to uphold these structures.
We follow Laura, a lesbian mage who just wants her mage license so she can become a great baker, raveling wonderful and tasty treats for important people. In order to do this she has to apprentice under a licensed mage, and joins the Bureau of the Arcane's Conservation Corps, Black Auxiliary. This government group of mages are treated like an expendable clean up crew, since black folks practicing the mystic arts are considered to be less important than Mechomancy, the type of magic white people wield to power mechanical constructs.
Joining the Auxiliary turns out to be more than Laura bargained for when she and a group of mages are sent to Ohio to fix the Ohio Deep Blight, an area the Great Rust has made difficult to live in and difficult to ravel in. What they find is that Ohio is no ordinary Blight, and that something they thought had disappeared in history is back and killing black mages for power.
I loved Laura's character. She's snarky and smart, and hopelessly attracted to pretty ladies. She turns out to be way more powerful than she knew she could be. The magic system is very cool. It's based on African root working, and has different disciplines for working the Dynamism: Cerebromancy, Faunomancy, Floramancy, Illusion, Pavomancy, Petramancy, Sanamancy, Figuramancy, Necromancy, and Wytchcraft (the use of all the disciplines together). In this story, the Klan used Necromancy to control, kill, and exploit enslaved Africans.
I love having more historical fiction following Black people that isn't about slavery. We also get a couple of gay male side characters, but romance is not really part of the plot. I kind of wish we had a second book to follow up with Laura after everything happened. I don't want to spoil things, so just go read this book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, and Blood
Moderate: Violence
Seasparrow by Kristin Cashore
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
4 ⭐ CW: (provided by the author) sexual assault/child sexual abuse mention, (provided by me) animal abuse mention, PTSD
Seasparrow by Kristin Cashore is the fifth and final book in the Graceling Realm series. I have loved spending time in this world with these characters. This one was a little slower than some of the previous books, but it still gives you so much.
We follow Hava's point of view after the events of the previous book. She and a group with Queen Bitterblue are sailing back to Monsea from Winterkeep, but are caught in a winter storm and pushed off course to the far north. Things get dire when they are in a shipwreck and forced to survive on the Arctic ocean and on the ice, with only their feet and wits to carry them to civilization.
Hava finds out that one of the crew has smuggled a pregnant blue fox aboard and drugged her. Have saves her and becomes the caregiver of a bunch of sentient blue foxes. I love that we got to see more blue foxes in this book. I desperately want one as a companion. A good chunk of this book is about survival. The last third of the book is mostly Hava trying to figure out who she is and where she belongs, and dealing with her anger, pain, and trauma.
Cashore does an excellent job of depicting the complexities of trauma and grief throughout this series, while also showing the potential for healing. I'm so glad we got to learn more about Hava and her Grace of making a person see her as what she projects herself to be (a sculpture, a curtain, a bundle of rope, trees). I read Hava as being ace-spec and maybe neurodivergent. It's bittersweet seeing this story end. I could go on reading about this world, following different characters forever.
Seasparrow by Kristin Cashore is the fifth and final book in the Graceling Realm series. I have loved spending time in this world with these characters. This one was a little slower than some of the previous books, but it still gives you so much.
We follow Hava's point of view after the events of the previous book. She and a group with Queen Bitterblue are sailing back to Monsea from Winterkeep, but are caught in a winter storm and pushed off course to the far north. Things get dire when they are in a shipwreck and forced to survive on the Arctic ocean and on the ice, with only their feet and wits to carry them to civilization.
Hava finds out that one of the crew has smuggled a pregnant blue fox aboard and drugged her. Have saves her and becomes the caregiver of a bunch of sentient blue foxes. I love that we got to see more blue foxes in this book. I desperately want one as a companion. A good chunk of this book is about survival. The last third of the book is mostly Hava trying to figure out who she is and where she belongs, and dealing with her anger, pain, and trauma.
Cashore does an excellent job of depicting the complexities of trauma and grief throughout this series, while also showing the potential for healing. I'm so glad we got to learn more about Hava and her Grace of making a person see her as what she projects herself to be (a sculpture, a curtain, a bundle of rope, trees). I read Hava as being ace-spec and maybe neurodivergent. It's bittersweet seeing this story end. I could go on reading about this world, following different characters forever.
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Sexual assault, and Death of parent
A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
5 ⭐ CW: swearing
A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers is book two in the Wayfarer series. I cannot express how much I am loving this series! This is the best cosy scifi I've ever read. Becky Chambers has a hold on my soul.
We get two timelines in this book: one taking place after the events of book one following the sentient AI Sidra, and one that takes place twenty years before following Pepper's story. I was kind of sad at first that we wouldn't be continuing to follow the crew of the Wayfarer, but I absolutely love what Chambers did with this story. She is a genius at writing character centric stories.
We get to see a lot more of Port Coriol and learn a bit more about Aeluons. I love that we get Pepper's backstory, and get her as a more well rounded character, as well as learning more about her partner Blue. We are also following Sidra, an AI that has been illegally downloaded into a body kit. In the GC, AI aren't considered people, so this has to be kept secret. Sidra finds being in a body a difficult transition with a lot of barriers. A lot of this story is about Sidra figuring out how to be a person which is also mirrored by Pepper's experiences as a sheltered Jane on a fringe planet.
Sidra reminds me of a more emotional Data from Star Trek TNG. The way she learns and her curiosity and wanting to understand herself and become more. Pepper's story is also one of resilience. An overarching theme of the book is about who gets rights. Just because someone is made instead of born, doesn't mean they aren't a person. I loved learning about the AI that raised Pepper. It was such a good story with a sweet ending.
So looking forward to book three!
A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers is book two in the Wayfarer series. I cannot express how much I am loving this series! This is the best cosy scifi I've ever read. Becky Chambers has a hold on my soul.
We get two timelines in this book: one taking place after the events of book one following the sentient AI Sidra, and one that takes place twenty years before following Pepper's story. I was kind of sad at first that we wouldn't be continuing to follow the crew of the Wayfarer, but I absolutely love what Chambers did with this story. She is a genius at writing character centric stories.
We get to see a lot more of Port Coriol and learn a bit more about Aeluons. I love that we get Pepper's backstory, and get her as a more well rounded character, as well as learning more about her partner Blue. We are also following Sidra, an AI that has been illegally downloaded into a body kit. In the GC, AI aren't considered people, so this has to be kept secret. Sidra finds being in a body a difficult transition with a lot of barriers. A lot of this story is about Sidra figuring out how to be a person which is also mirrored by Pepper's experiences as a sheltered Jane on a fringe planet.
Sidra reminds me of a more emotional Data from Star Trek TNG. The way she learns and her curiosity and wanting to understand herself and become more. Pepper's story is also one of resilience. An overarching theme of the book is about who gets rights. Just because someone is made instead of born, doesn't mean they aren't a person. I loved learning about the AI that raised Pepper. It was such a good story with a sweet ending.
So looking forward to book three!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing
This Savage Song by V.E. Schwab
adventurous
dark
sad
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? No
4.0
4 ⭐ CW: Violence, death, death of a parent, blood
This Savage Song by V.E. Schwab is book one in the Monsters of Verity duology. Although I did enjoy this dark urban YA fantasy, I don't think it is my favorite of Schwab's work. Maybe because it's YA it lacked a certain resonance that her other stories have had, but it didn't make it a bad story.
We follow August Flynn, a monster that wishes he were human. He's a Sunai, a monster born from a massacre that eats the souls of humans who have killed. But he hates that to keep control over who he is, he must kill. We also follow Kate Harker, the daughter of Callum Harker who rules over North City in Verity. She's full of anger, and wants to be ruthless to prove herself to her cruel father.
When the Flynns send August to a school in North City to keep tabs on Kate to use her as leverage against Harker, they both become embroiled in a conspiracy to end the truce between North and South Cities, putting them in danger from the Malchai and Corsai monsters. Along the way, they forge a friendship, helping to keep each other alive.
I really liked the way the world-building of the monsters was set up in this. Each type of monster has its own origin and abilities, and the way they are created tends to reflect their personalities as well. I also really liked how music was used in the story. Usually, music is peaceful or healing, but in this it's used to kill. To me it seemed the theme is that life is pain, the best you can do is live it one day at a time. I appreciated that this wasn't a love story between August and Kate. It was a platonic story about survival and what you can live with.
Looking forward to book two!
This Savage Song by V.E. Schwab is book one in the Monsters of Verity duology. Although I did enjoy this dark urban YA fantasy, I don't think it is my favorite of Schwab's work. Maybe because it's YA it lacked a certain resonance that her other stories have had, but it didn't make it a bad story.
We follow August Flynn, a monster that wishes he were human. He's a Sunai, a monster born from a massacre that eats the souls of humans who have killed. But he hates that to keep control over who he is, he must kill. We also follow Kate Harker, the daughter of Callum Harker who rules over North City in Verity. She's full of anger, and wants to be ruthless to prove herself to her cruel father.
When the Flynns send August to a school in North City to keep tabs on Kate to use her as leverage against Harker, they both become embroiled in a conspiracy to end the truce between North and South Cities, putting them in danger from the Malchai and Corsai monsters. Along the way, they forge a friendship, helping to keep each other alive.
I really liked the way the world-building of the monsters was set up in this. Each type of monster has its own origin and abilities, and the way they are created tends to reflect their personalities as well. I also really liked how music was used in the story. Usually, music is peaceful or healing, but in this it's used to kill. To me it seemed the theme is that life is pain, the best you can do is live it one day at a time. I appreciated that this wasn't a love story between August and Kate. It was a platonic story about survival and what you can live with.
Looking forward to book two!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Death of parent
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-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
4.0
4 ⭐ CW: violence, death, suicide, incest, child sexual abuse mention, torture, enslavement, sexual content
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin is book one in the Inheritance trilogy. This book is hard to describe. It's a secondary world adult fantasy that is very complicated. As with all Jemisin's works, I'm left feeling like I'm not smart enough to read it, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
We follow Yeine, who is telling the story by recalling it as if in a memory, but it doesn't become clear to whom until much later. She has been summoned to Sky (the palace) by her grandfather to become one of the heirs alongside her twin cousins Scimina and Relad. Sky is a dangerous place for someone unused to the ways of the Arameri, between treacherous relatives and the enslaved gods who live there. Yeine is pulled into a political and godly battle where she is a pawn for both.
This book was so involved. Jemisin does an excellent job of building cultures. I loved the creation story she weaves with the Three: Itempas (day), Enefa (dawn and dusk), and Nahadoth (night). I don't know how else to describe what is happening in this story than to just say it is complex. Similar to her Broken Earth Trilogy, you don't really know what is going on until you're most of the way through the book, but I couldn't put it down. Her writing is so beautiful that you are transported
This is a story about free will, freedom, forgiveness, and agency. It also sets up a redemption arc for one of the characters. I really liked Yeine as a character. I loved that she isn't just one thing (iykyk). She is angry and fearful, loving and ruthless. Her relationship with Nahadoth is also complex and compelling. Sieh definitely stole the show for me though. A god who embodies childhood, and he's just so sweet. Like Yeine, I couldn't help but love him.
If this review confuses you, you'll just have to read the book and be even more confused 😂. I'm looking forward to book two l, since it will have a lot more world-building and focus on different characters.
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin is book one in the Inheritance trilogy. This book is hard to describe. It's a secondary world adult fantasy that is very complicated. As with all Jemisin's works, I'm left feeling like I'm not smart enough to read it, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
We follow Yeine, who is telling the story by recalling it as if in a memory, but it doesn't become clear to whom until much later. She has been summoned to Sky (the palace) by her grandfather to become one of the heirs alongside her twin cousins Scimina and Relad. Sky is a dangerous place for someone unused to the ways of the Arameri, between treacherous relatives and the enslaved gods who live there. Yeine is pulled into a political and godly battle where she is a pawn for both.
This book was so involved. Jemisin does an excellent job of building cultures. I loved the creation story she weaves with the Three: Itempas (day), Enefa (dawn and dusk), and Nahadoth (night). I don't know how else to describe what is happening in this story than to just say it is complex. Similar to her Broken Earth Trilogy, you don't really know what is going on until you're most of the way through the book, but I couldn't put it down. Her writing is so beautiful that you are transported
This is a story about free will, freedom, forgiveness, and agency. It also sets up a redemption arc for one of the characters. I really liked Yeine as a character. I loved that she isn't just one thing (iykyk). She is angry and fearful, loving and ruthless. Her relationship with Nahadoth is also complex and compelling. Sieh definitely stole the show for me though. A god who embodies childhood, and he's just so sweet. Like Yeine, I couldn't help but love him.
If this review confuses you, you'll just have to read the book and be even more confused 😂. I'm looking forward to book two l, since it will have a lot more world-building and focus on different characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming, Death, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Incest and Suicide
Minor: Child abuse
Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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: violence, police violence mention, abuse mention, anxiety, self harm, death
Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi is the prequel to their first YA novel, Pet. This one blew me away just as much as Pet did. Emezi's writing is just so powerful and evocative. Like Pet, it's a short and fast read, but doesn't feel rushed.
We follow Bitter, Jam's mother, when she is a teen going to the art school Eucalyptus during the time of Lucille's peak violence and protests. Bitter is a traumatized and jaded girl who wants nothing to do with the protests that often get people hurt and killed. She is resentful of the Assata, the group of young people fighting in the streets against corporate greed and police brutality. She just wants to stay within the walls of Eucalyptus and focus on her art.
When one of her friends is severely injured by police during a protest, Bitter's rage takes over, and she begins to paint something from that rage and brings it to life. She doesn't realize that she has opened a gate for the violent angels to come through seeking vengeance on Lucille's monsters. Bitter learns that there are other ways to contribute to a movement without being on the front lines. Movements need artists too.
There was so much diversity and representation in this book! Almost every single character is queer. The story is so apt and prescient. Emezi poured all their rage and frustration into this book and still gave it a hopeful outcome. I think Bitter represents so many of us who struggle with the conflict of wanting the suffering to end, but not wanting to inflict violence or be on the front lines themselves. It was validating to read that there are other ways to contribute without being in the streets.
I would recommend this to any young person tired of the constant fight or feeling inadequate about their role in the fight. I recommend this to elders to see the hurt and rage the youth are going through. The main message here is to not lose hope, and that we must move beyond violence.
Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi is the prequel to their first YA novel, Pet. This one blew me away just as much as Pet did. Emezi's writing is just so powerful and evocative. Like Pet, it's a short and fast read, but doesn't feel rushed.
We follow Bitter, Jam's mother, when she is a teen going to the art school Eucalyptus during the time of Lucille's peak violence and protests. Bitter is a traumatized and jaded girl who wants nothing to do with the protests that often get people hurt and killed. She is resentful of the Assata, the group of young people fighting in the streets against corporate greed and police brutality. She just wants to stay within the walls of Eucalyptus and focus on her art.
When one of her friends is severely injured by police during a protest, Bitter's rage takes over, and she begins to paint something from that rage and brings it to life. She doesn't realize that she has opened a gate for the violent angels to come through seeking vengeance on Lucille's monsters. Bitter learns that there are other ways to contribute to a movement without being on the front lines. Movements need artists too.
There was so much diversity and representation in this book! Almost every single character is queer. The story is so apt and prescient. Emezi poured all their rage and frustration into this book and still gave it a hopeful outcome. I think Bitter represents so many of us who struggle with the conflict of wanting the suffering to end, but not wanting to inflict violence or be on the front lines themselves. It was validating to read that there are other ways to contribute without being in the streets.
I would recommend this to any young person tired of the constant fight or feeling inadequate about their role in the fight. I recommend this to elders to see the hurt and rage the youth are going through. The main message here is to not lose hope, and that we must move beyond violence.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, and Self harm
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Child abuse and Police brutality
Calling of Light by Lori M. Lee
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-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: violence, death
Calling of Light by Lori M. Lee is the final book in the Shamanborn trilogy. I loved this one so much 😭! It's definitely my favorite of the three books in the series. There is so much growth from Sirscha, so much heartfelt friendship between all the characters, and it's confirmed that Sirscha and Saengo (probably) is bisexual. Potential spoilers for previous books ahead.
We pick up with Sirscha after the events of the last book, and she is now the King's Shadow. There is a lot of social strife to be dealt with now that King Meilek has freed the Shamanborn. The Shamanborn are naturally angry and distrustful of the soldiers who imprisoned them, and the rest of the non-shamans are wary due to years of prejudice from Queen Meilyr. This is also a time of great political upheaval with a new reign, plus the threat of the Soulless to the Nuvali Empire.
So much happens in this book! We get to learn more about the Mountain Spirit and how it is alive and has a will of its own. We see the return of Kendara, who is seemingly betraying Sirscha, and the continued conflict between the Kazan clans and the Nuvali. The Soulless is such a great villain, because in a lot of ways, he isn't wrong, but his methods are. Lee had me so stressed about Saengo! The ending was so epic and perfect, it had me on the edge of my seat the whole time.
This was such a wonderful series that had zero romance and focused solely on the friendships between Sirscha, Saengo, Theyen, and Meilek. Wonderful world-building, with beautiful prose, morally gray characters, and political intrigue. I'm sad to see this world go. I'm so glad my friend Kaitee convinced me to read these books!
Calling of Light releases April 16th!
Calling of Light by Lori M. Lee is the final book in the Shamanborn trilogy. I loved this one so much 😭! It's definitely my favorite of the three books in the series. There is so much growth from Sirscha, so much heartfelt friendship between all the characters, and it's confirmed that Sirscha and Saengo (probably) is bisexual. Potential spoilers for previous books ahead.
We pick up with Sirscha after the events of the last book, and she is now the King's Shadow. There is a lot of social strife to be dealt with now that King Meilek has freed the Shamanborn. The Shamanborn are naturally angry and distrustful of the soldiers who imprisoned them, and the rest of the non-shamans are wary due to years of prejudice from Queen Meilyr. This is also a time of great political upheaval with a new reign, plus the threat of the Soulless to the Nuvali Empire.
So much happens in this book! We get to learn more about the Mountain Spirit and how it is alive and has a will of its own. We see the return of Kendara, who is seemingly betraying Sirscha, and the continued conflict between the Kazan clans and the Nuvali. The Soulless is such a great villain, because in a lot of ways, he isn't wrong, but his methods are. Lee had me so stressed about Saengo! The ending was so epic and perfect, it had me on the edge of my seat the whole time.
This was such a wonderful series that had zero romance and focused solely on the friendships between Sirscha, Saengo, Theyen, and Meilek. Wonderful world-building, with beautiful prose, morally gray characters, and political intrigue. I'm sad to see this world go. I'm so glad my friend Kaitee convinced me to read these books!
Calling of Light releases April 16th!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Violence
In Diana's Shadow by Liz Helfrich
dark
mysterious
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
3 ⭐ CW: death, substance use/misuse mentions
In Diana's Shadow by Liz Helfrich is book one of the Constance Grey Mystery series. I won this book in an Instagram giveaway by a friend. Mysteries are not something I typically pick up for myself since I'm primarily a fantasy and scifi reader, so keep that in mind as you read this review.
We follow Constance Grey and her sister Vivianne, who own and run a dress shop in 1920s London. When Constance's close friend Diana Dunbarton is found dead in her home, Constance becomes compelled to help solve the murder.
Usually, I'm not very good at figuring out mysteries and who the real culprit is in who-done-it stories, but I had this one figured out half way through, which unfortunately, made the story drag on a bit. I also thought there was too much info dumping at the beginning and a lot of unnecessary details. It was quite a slow paced story. Although there was some through line about the drug scene in London at this time, it was a fairly tame depiction of it, with little action or twists.
I did quite enjoy Lady Grey, the mother of Constance and Vivianne. She was a no nonsense lady in the suffrage movement for women's rights. It was also cool to see the Spiritualism side of things at that time. The historical aspect was my favorite part, and was well researched. I got the impression that Constance may have been neurodivergent, and there were a couple of small side characters that were gay and lesbian.
If you enjoy cozy mysteries and a 1920s aesthetic, I would recommend this book.
In Diana's Shadow by Liz Helfrich is book one of the Constance Grey Mystery series. I won this book in an Instagram giveaway by a friend. Mysteries are not something I typically pick up for myself since I'm primarily a fantasy and scifi reader, so keep that in mind as you read this review.
We follow Constance Grey and her sister Vivianne, who own and run a dress shop in 1920s London. When Constance's close friend Diana Dunbarton is found dead in her home, Constance becomes compelled to help solve the murder.
Usually, I'm not very good at figuring out mysteries and who the real culprit is in who-done-it stories, but I had this one figured out half way through, which unfortunately, made the story drag on a bit. I also thought there was too much info dumping at the beginning and a lot of unnecessary details. It was quite a slow paced story. Although there was some through line about the drug scene in London at this time, it was a fairly tame depiction of it, with little action or twists.
I did quite enjoy Lady Grey, the mother of Constance and Vivianne. She was a no nonsense lady in the suffrage movement for women's rights. It was also cool to see the Spiritualism side of things at that time. The historical aspect was my favorite part, and was well researched. I got the impression that Constance may have been neurodivergent, and there were a couple of small side characters that were gay and lesbian.
If you enjoy cozy mysteries and a 1920s aesthetic, I would recommend this book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: Drug abuse