thebiasedbibliophile's reviews
665 reviews

Greymist Fair by Francesca Zappia

4.5

Retelling some of the lesser-known fairy tales from the Brothers Grimm, Greymist Fair by Francesca Zappia is a YA fantasy/horror novel that tells the story of a murder mystery in a series of related short stories. The people in Greymist Fair are safe from Death’s wargs as long as they stay on the path…that is until young Heike finds what’s left of Tomas directly on the trail. Told from alternating perspectives, we learn that Tomas’s death is not as simple as it seems, and Death is closer to Greymist Fair than anyone thought.

Although short stories are always a hit or a miss for me, the stories in Greymist Fair were captivating! Each one progressively reveals more about the town and its secrets, while also tying into one another seamlessly. I enjoyed the fact that the stories took place at different times in the town’s history, and the different points of view added a compelling twist to the events of the novel. Many of the characters were interesting, but Dr. Death and Death were absolutely riveting. They were certainly the most complex characters, with mysterious backgrounds and motivations. Their character arcs were wonderfully written as well!

Furthermore, I’ve sometimes found that the world-building in short stories is not always strong, but the world-building in this novel was great. The way Zappia used each story to add a new layer onto the world was fascinating and led to a rich world with its own unique culture, traditions, and beliefs. The people of Greymist Fair share a sense of community with a dash of mistrust that shows their collective story from an exciting angle. 

Finally, I think this book would appeal to people who enjoy many different genres; fantasy, horror, mystery, retellings, young adult, etc. There’s truly something for everyone to enjoy! 

Chaos & Flame by Tessa Gratton, Justina Ireland

3.5

Justina Ireland is one of my favorite authors, so when I saw that she was a co-author of Chaos & Flame, the first book in a YA Fantasy duology, I was so excited!

The novel follows Darling, the last person left from House Sphinx, and Talon, the War Prince of House Dragon, the house that slaughtered House Sphinx. The Prince Regent and Talon’s brother, Caspian, has been painting Darling since he was a child, but no one realized how important she truly was. After the head of House Kraken adopted Darling as his own, she became a fierce soldier, willing to do whatever it takes for her house to survive. However, when she’s kidnapped by Talon, she realizes that the war is not as simple as it seems, and when she sees a chance at peace, she feels compelled to take it.

This book has all the promising features of a YA fantasy novel: a slow burn romance, intense fight scenes, and political intrigue. While I absolutely loved most of the book, the ending left a lot to be desired. Basically, the ending felt very unfinished to me. The plot of this book felt like it’s sole purpose was to set up the second novel, which I’m looking forward to reading, but the book should be able to stand on it’s own. 

That being said, there were so many elements that I adored! The different houses were fun, and the prophetic element added a unique sense of mystery. The romance that develops is cute, and I enjoyed reading it from both characters’ points of view.

Similarly, Darling was an interesting character. Her physical disability was incorporated nicely, granted there were a couple instances in which a slight plot hole occurred because of her disability. For instance, it is mention that other characters cannot see Darling’s eyes due to the dark goggles she wears, but at one point Talon sees her wink at him, which wouldn’t be possible. It was not a major issue, but it did momentarily distract my attention away from the story.

Likewise, the magic of the characters’ boons was a cool feature. 

Overall, I enjoyed reading Chaos & Flame, but it felt a little unfinished. I will be curious to see what the next book in the series is like. 

My Dear Henry: A Jekyll & Hyde Remix by Kalynn Bayron

4.0

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is not one of my favorite books, but Kalynn Bayron is one of my favorite authors, so when I heard she was writing a retelling, called My Dear Henry, I was excited! Not only did she write an amazing retelling, she highlighted queer, Black voices in her reimagining!  I definitely enjoyed My Dear Henry more than I did the original story of Jekyll and Hyde, and it is certainly a retelling that will stay with me for a long time to come!

Gabriel wants to be a lawyer, but being Black in 1885 London, that is not an option for him. Instead, his father urges him to study medicine, where he meets Henry. The two quickly become close friends, and while they can’t openly share it, they develop deeper feelings for one another. After Henry’s father, who is a professor at the medical school, is fired, Gabriel is left lost and confused when Henry suddenly starts giving him the cold shoulder. 

I adored so many aspects of this book! As usual, Bayron focused her story around the main character’s Blackness and queerness, which added so much depth to the book! In a painfully real way, Bayron confronted the obstacles relating to intersectionality. She told Gabriel’s story in such an authentic way. I felt my heart break with his at certain points throughout the book.

Furthermore, I think Bayron did a fantastic job of incorporating aspects of the original story while adding her own spin to the retelling. I love that My Dear Henry is not so much about the duality of human nature, but about accepting every part of who you are. Including some of the more nefarious traits of Jekyll in Henry’s father was absolute genius!

The one thing I didn’t enjoy was the relationship between Gabriel and Henry. While it developed a little more as the story progressed, I would have like to read more about them falling in love. 

As a whole, My Dear Henry by Kalynn Bayron is one of the best retellings I’ve ever read! Whether you’re a fan of the original story or not, I highly recommend this book! 

Ring of Solomon by Aden Polydoros

adventurous funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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? It's complicated

5.0

While I haven’t read a ton of middle grade books, Ring of Solomon by Aden Polydoros just might be my favorite so far! When Zach finds a magical ring that allows him to talk to animals, he is excited. However, shortly thereafter Ashmedai, the King of Demons, appears and announces that he is the guardian of the ring. Zach and his friends are quickly thrown into an adventure they weren’t expecting. 

I loved everything about this book! The plot was very immersive, and I frequently lost myself within the story. It was filled with action and also had complex relationships that moved the story along. Zach was a wonderful protagonist. His point of view felt authentic and realistic, especially in relationship to him being gay. Throughout the whole book I felt as though I was on an adventure with Zach and his friends.

Furthermore, I enjoyed Ashmedai’s character too. I appreciated the way Polydoros depicted the demon king as neither benevolent nor malevolent. I’m not familiar with Jewish mythology and culture, but I liked that the author tied that into the story as well. Likewise, it was interesting to read about a protagonist who identifies as Jewish, but doesn’t consider himself religious.

Overall, this book was one of the most memorable middle grade novels I’ve read! I can’t wait to read the next in the series! 

You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories about Racism by Amber Ruffin, Lacey Lamar

4.0

I don’t always review the nonfiction books I read, as I think what an author has to say about their life is more important than anything I can say about their book, but I thoroughly enjoyed You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey by Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar! 

Ruffin and Lamar share stories of racism, mostly those experienced by the latter. They weave in a ton of humor, adding a sense of lightheartedness to an otherwise heavy topic. I appreciated their authenticity. Sometimes the stories were difficult to read, but I think that made them all the more important. Overall, the two authors delivered a hilarious spin on a serious experience. This is definitely a book I think everyone should read! 

Arch-Conspirator by Veronica Roth

challenging dark fast-paced

5.0

A SciFi retelling of Antigone? YES PLEASE! As a philosophy nerd, I was so excited when I saw that Arch-Conspirator by Veronica Roth is a retelling of Antigone by Sophocles. The novel takes place in a futuristic society where it is seen as wrong to have children without first editing your genes. Antigone is one of four children who were conceived naturally, an abomination in her society. When her brother is killed and her uncle decrees that no one can extract his cells in order to place them in the Archive, Antigone knows she must do something. However, with the threat of execution looming over her head, things are not as simple as they seem.

I absolutely loved what Roth did with this wonderful story! There were enough elements that mirrored the original play, but also some interesting touches that updated the story as well. I appreciated the fact that Roth used the original names from the play. I enjoyed how she put a spin on the original twist of incest, but pretty much removed the creepy undertones. The way in which she stuck to the original plot was wonderful as well.

There were a few differences from the original play that I found entertaining. First, the fact that this story takes place in a futuristic and dystopian society added an interesting spin. Roth took Antigone’s original story, which is pretty far removed from our society today, and morphed it into something that feels plausible, akin to what George Orwell did with 1984. The society was not too far-fetched and had elements that made me feel like our world could go in that direction.

Similarly, I thought Roth slightly improved Antigone’s relationship with Haemon. In Sophocles’ play, I felt like their relationship felt a little too forced and inauthentic. In Arch-Conspirator I enjoyed how Roth showed their relationship from both Antigone’s and Haemon’s point of views, suggesting a long-term attraction on his part, and more of an enemies-to-lovers style on hers.

Overall, if there was anything I didn’t enjoy about this book, it was that it is only a novella, and I would have loved to read more about these characters. Whether you’re a fan of the original play or not, I highly recommend this book! 

Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim

adventurous challenging hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

New favorite book alert!!! Wow! To say I was impressed with Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim would be a major understatement! If you are a fan of the Daevabad trilogy by Shannon Chakraborty, then you will love this debut book!

The novel follows Imani as she embarks on a journey with her nemesis to find her brother, who she thought was dead. She faces a series of adversities that challenge her view of life and discovers that her brother’s reasons for leaving the Sahir were not so simple. Along the way she must conceal the fact that she illegally bound a djinn to her dagger because he was the only one who knew where her brother went.

The best feature of this novel is that it was completely immersive. I truly felt like I was experiencing everything with Imani. The descriptions were so vivid, and the actions scenes so intense. Ibrahim did a phenomenal job of creating such a realistic and magical world. I was surprised that this is her debut book because she writes like a well-seasoned author. 

Furthermore, the characters in the book made the story come to life even more. Imani is such a compelling main character. She is so humanly flawed, yet also lovable. As a reader, I felt my emotions changing with hers, which is a very powerful feeling. Likewise, the supporting characters were three-dimensional and robust. Each one was necessary to the story and helped move it along in a unique way.

Finally, there was the perfect amount of romance in the book. I am typically not a fan of books where the main character has more than one potential love interest, but that is hinted at in Spice Road, and I ended up loving it. Either way, it seems like Imani’s love story will play into the enemies-to-lovers trope, and I think Ibrahim is setting it up flawlessly. Personally, I am team Qaymani (Imani and Qayn) all the way! 

Overall, I literally can’t wait for the next book in this series! Spice Road is going to have a special place on my bookshelf for sure!

Queen Among the Dead by Lesley Livingston

slow-paced

3.5

When I saw that Queen Among the Dead by Lesley Livingston was a fantasy novel based on Celtic folklore, I was intrigued! The novel follows Neve, a princess who is second in line for the throne, but no one sees her as worthy of ruling Eire. Fascinated with her land’s history and her fierce, and maybe slightly maniacal, ancestress known as the Scathach, Neve becomes enthralled with the idea of being a warrior. However, a chain of events leads her to being forced into considering the possibility that she will one day rule Eire. 

I felt really conflicted about this book for the majority of it. It starts off pretty slow, and doesn’t really pick up until about halfway through. I would have liked to see more interaction between the characters in the first half of the book, and definitely more actions scenes.

That being said, the second half of the novel was fantastic! There were a few plot twists that I didn’t see coming, and I was happy with how the story ended. The relationships between the characters were interesting, and I enjoyed seeing Neve grow as a person.

Neve’s love for her people and sense of justice added a lot to the story. Her motivations seemed sincere, and as a reader, I couldn’t help but to root for her. I was intrigued by the idea that she did not want to be a queen, but wanted to be a king instead. I get that the author was likely trying to suggest that women are just as worthy and capable of ruling as men, but I almost would have preferred Neve to change the perceptions and connotations around the word “queen” than to strive towards being a “king.” Perhaps this is the feminist in me, but Neve’s adoption of the latter term indicates that she must be like a man in order to rule, whereas embracing the title of queen maybe would have changed her peoples’ perspectives and shown that she didn’t need to change anything about herself.

Overall, I’m not sure if there will be a sequel to this book. The ending kind of leaves open that possibility. However, I don’t know if I would read it or not. On the one hand, I did find this book to be a little slow, and on the other, I was content with the ending of this novel. As a whole, it’s not necessarily one of my favorite books, but it was worth the read! 

A Whole New World by Liz Braswell

3.0

After being disappointed by As Old as Time by Liz Braswell, I was nervous that the author wouldn’t be able to do my second favorite Disney Princess justice either in A Whole New World, but I must admit that it was not bad! If you don’t already know, the Disney Twisted Tales series follow the characters we know and love, but incorporate an unexpected twist. In this book, the twist was that Jafar rubbed the lamp before Aladdin.

Taken as a whole, I enjoyed this book! It focuses more on an uprising and rebellion as opposed to the relationship Aladdin and Jasmine develop, but I appreciated that change. For one, I don’t think it would’ve made sense for this book to focus on their relationship, as the turn of events placed their priorities elsewhere. In fact, I would have been happy if Jasmine and Aladdin’s relationship remained completely platonic, as their love for one another felt underdeveloped in the book.

Similarly, I really enjoyed the way Braswell depicts Jasmine, particularly her efforts to connect with all of her people. In the movie, Jasmine cares about her people, but we don’t really get to see her interact with the people of Agrabah beyond one or two occasional scenes. In this book, she truly takes the time to get to know people, especially those living in poverty.

One aspect that I thought was missing from the novel was the focus on feminism. The fact that Jasmine is a girl and must marry a prince is kind of a big deal in the movie. While I understand that it is not as relevant in this book, I think the author missed out on an opportunity to deepen the themes in the book. I would have liked to see Jasmine take on feminist issues, and I think the problem of her ruling as an unmarried woman still could have been addressed in the book. 

Overall, I definitely liked A Whole New World! While there are some things that were missing, Braswell clearly added a lot of depth and darkness to the original story! 

Dracula by Bram Stoker

slow-paced

2.0

I mentioned in my review of Oliver Twist that classics are either a hit or a miss for me, and if Oliver Twist was a hit, Dracula by Bram Stoker was a miss. I was interested in reading the book because I wanted to see where our modern conceptions of vampires came from, and that aspect of the novel was definitely interesting. 

That being said, that was just about the only part of the book that I enjoyed. The pace was mind-numbingly slow, and the plot was relatively uneventful. Stoker could have gone in so many interesting directions since he wrote it as an epistolary novel, but instead he had endless pages of droning on about unimportant details. 

Similarly, I didn’t enjoy the fact that so many of Dracula’s characteristics and behaviors were not explained. Much of the novel was very ambiguous, to the point of causing boredom. 

As a whole, while Dracula wasn’t quite as torturous as The Catcher in the Rye, it certainly didn’t impress me.