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wordsandnocturnes's reviews
441 reviews
Hotel Magnifique by Emily J. Taylor
medium-paced
4.5
Hotel Magnifique by Emily J. Taylor is a YA fantasy that showcases the story of Jani, a spirited young lady, determined to make a better life for her sister Zosa and herself from their life of patched clothes and struggling to make enough to ensure they won’t get kicked out from their rented residence. So, when a shiny advertisement in the papers says the esteemed and magical Hotel Magnifique is hiring, Jani pounces on the chance to ensure both her and her sister make the cut and get into a life of glamour. Of course, many things happen after that, so their adventure doesn’t go that smoothly.
It has been a long time since I’ve read a YA novel that wasn’t a reread, so perhaps the break from YA fiction turned out to be helpful and reading this felt suitably refreshing. There are, of course, still YA tropes present, but they felt endearing rather than a chore (as mentioned, perhaps an effect of the break).
The writing was easy to follow, with no purple prose or many similes cluttering the flow. Any descriptions of setting or fantastical scenes provide enough information for the reader to visualise them without being too overwhelming with endless descriptions or explanations. The magic system and locations reminded me of the Grishas from Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows duology. Similar to the Grisha, the suminaires in Hotel Magnifique utilise magical items or artefacts. Instead of being amplifiers like in the Grishas case, the suminaires use magical items to channel their magic, so the items are mediums for them to use their magic in a controlled and rational manner (so they take the place of wands, basically).
What I liked best about Hotel Magnifique is how Jani is said to be powerful, but not in the ways I had expected. What I expected of her “power” would be standard YA fare, such as Jani possessing fantastic magical prowess, being the greatest magician of her time (or suminaire, as the book calls it), or being “the chosen one”. While Jani does possess strong magical powers, she’s not the best or most unique out of all the other magicians, who have had time to practice and hone their craft. As showcased in the book, Jani is powerful because of her determination, her resourcefulness, and her capability to adapt to new and varied situations.
Protagonists in YA fiction often have something or someone they want to protect, and that is usually their core motivation. It was a relief that Jani’s primary motivation – to save and protect her sister, doesn’t gradually diminish throughout the book. Some unfortunate YA protagonists’ romantic subplots take over and eclipse the main goal of the story, which ends up making their main goal feel false or stale. There is still romance, but it isn’t a “love at first sight” or oddly rapidly advancing affair. While romantic subplots can enhance a story and spice up the dynamics between characters, it felt nice to have a story where the romance was developing in the background and is implied to continue growing after the book ends. The romance is there and growing, but it’s not the focus, which leaves the spotlight on the fantastical settings and the tension between Jani and her surroundings.
Hotel Magnifique is compared to Caraval and The Night Circus, both of which I haven’t read but probably should. However, I can say that this book did remind me of Six of Crows and Sorcery of Thorns, which are both gripping and fun reads. I enjoyed it, and while I hope there are no more sequels or prequels to this novel, it would be interesting to see what the author may write next!
Received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Netgalley, Pushkin Press and Emily J. Taylor for the chance to read and review this ARC!
From Words & Nocturnes
It has been a long time since I’ve read a YA novel that wasn’t a reread, so perhaps the break from YA fiction turned out to be helpful and reading this felt suitably refreshing. There are, of course, still YA tropes present, but they felt endearing rather than a chore (as mentioned, perhaps an effect of the break).
The writing was easy to follow, with no purple prose or many similes cluttering the flow. Any descriptions of setting or fantastical scenes provide enough information for the reader to visualise them without being too overwhelming with endless descriptions or explanations. The magic system and locations reminded me of the Grishas from Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows duology. Similar to the Grisha, the suminaires in Hotel Magnifique utilise magical items or artefacts. Instead of being amplifiers like in the Grishas case, the suminaires use magical items to channel their magic, so the items are mediums for them to use their magic in a controlled and rational manner (so they take the place of wands, basically).
What I liked best about Hotel Magnifique is how Jani is said to be powerful, but not in the ways I had expected. What I expected of her “power” would be standard YA fare, such as Jani possessing fantastic magical prowess, being the greatest magician of her time (or suminaire, as the book calls it), or being “the chosen one”. While Jani does possess strong magical powers, she’s not the best or most unique out of all the other magicians, who have had time to practice and hone their craft. As showcased in the book, Jani is powerful because of her determination, her resourcefulness, and her capability to adapt to new and varied situations.
Protagonists in YA fiction often have something or someone they want to protect, and that is usually their core motivation. It was a relief that Jani’s primary motivation – to save and protect her sister, doesn’t gradually diminish throughout the book. Some unfortunate YA protagonists’ romantic subplots take over and eclipse the main goal of the story, which ends up making their main goal feel false or stale. There is still romance, but it isn’t a “love at first sight” or oddly rapidly advancing affair. While romantic subplots can enhance a story and spice up the dynamics between characters, it felt nice to have a story where the romance was developing in the background and is implied to continue growing after the book ends. The romance is there and growing, but it’s not the focus, which leaves the spotlight on the fantastical settings and the tension between Jani and her surroundings.
Hotel Magnifique is compared to Caraval and The Night Circus, both of which I haven’t read but probably should. However, I can say that this book did remind me of Six of Crows and Sorcery of Thorns, which are both gripping and fun reads. I enjoyed it, and while I hope there are no more sequels or prequels to this novel, it would be interesting to see what the author may write next!
Received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Netgalley, Pushkin Press and Emily J. Taylor for the chance to read and review this ARC!
From Words & Nocturnes
Thunderpaws and the Tower of London by Ben Housden
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Thunderpaws and the Tower of London by Ben Housden showcases the story of the cat Teufel, also known as Thunderpaws, as he is caught between two parties who are at odds. Who can he trust? What should he do? Armed with his curiosity and common sense, Teufel needs to discover the answers to these questions and explore the secrets of the Tower of London.
In the beginning, I greatly disliked the stream-of-consciousness narration from the protagonist Teufel’s point-of-view. It felt annoying being exposed to Teufel’s every action and thought, especially with his arrogant and stubborn attitude. Although that was what I thought initially, when Teufel begins conversing and interacting with many different characters, his snarkiness becomes more interesting and adds personality to the character instead of being just a haughty nuisance.
The large cast of characters, and different parties and allegiances can be confusing at first, but it’s made better with basic knowledge of the historical characters that have to do with the Tower of London (Anne Bolelyn, Richard III, the significance of the ravens at the Tower of London, and so on). This Historic Royal Palaces page may be helpful to get a very basic understanding of the history surrounding the Tower of London. As the story progresses, it becomes easier to distinguish the characters and the groups they belong in, so the large cast of characters is also not a big issue.
The plot is a mixture of adventure, science fiction, wackiness and fun. The last two “ingredients” tend to be present in many works aimed at children. The carefreeness and non-adherence to the rules makes the story and its elements innovative and at times ridiculous, but still carrying the youthful and energetic spirit often found in children’s books. Sometimes it makes the book charming, sometimes it makes the book utterly absurd, and sometimes (as is the case with this book), it makes the book a good adventure.
This may be a nitpick, but though I understood the Star Wars references, it may not be the same case for all readers. That’s the tricky thing about references, how can we be sure the audience understands the references? Is there any point in including references when not all of the audience will understand it, and will likely be left bewildered and unsure of what the author is trying to convey?
One of the parts I enjoyed the most about this book is the beautiful illustrations by the artist Monokubo, who also shares lovely art on Instagram and Tumblr. The writing and plot are already energetic and exciting, so the more sober colours and detailed illustrations lend the story a sense of gravity, that is, not entirely ridiculous. The art further aids the readers to imagine and visualise the action and the drama of the various situations.
I wasn’t fond of the ending of this book, though I suspect this is just my personal preference. It might have been nice for this book to be a standalone instead of branching out to a series of time travellers and possible mythical beings (it somehow reminds me of Mr. Peabody & Sherman).
Overall, I wouldn’t recommend this book if you’re looking for a diverse cast of characters or for strong character development, and sometimes the plot can be confusing, but it’s a fun adventure through some parts of London (and of course, it’s still centred around the Tower of London). It’s still exciting, and despite my personal preferences, this series (dubbed Nature’s Claw in Goodreads) may be a nice way to get people interested in the history of the places and people mentioned.
In the beginning, I greatly disliked the stream-of-consciousness narration from the protagonist Teufel’s point-of-view. It felt annoying being exposed to Teufel’s every action and thought, especially with his arrogant and stubborn attitude. Although that was what I thought initially, when Teufel begins conversing and interacting with many different characters, his snarkiness becomes more interesting and adds personality to the character instead of being just a haughty nuisance.
The large cast of characters, and different parties and allegiances can be confusing at first, but it’s made better with basic knowledge of the historical characters that have to do with the Tower of London (Anne Bolelyn, Richard III, the significance of the ravens at the Tower of London, and so on). This Historic Royal Palaces page may be helpful to get a very basic understanding of the history surrounding the Tower of London. As the story progresses, it becomes easier to distinguish the characters and the groups they belong in, so the large cast of characters is also not a big issue.
The plot is a mixture of adventure, science fiction, wackiness and fun. The last two “ingredients” tend to be present in many works aimed at children. The carefreeness and non-adherence to the rules makes the story and its elements innovative and at times ridiculous, but still carrying the youthful and energetic spirit often found in children’s books. Sometimes it makes the book charming, sometimes it makes the book utterly absurd, and sometimes (as is the case with this book), it makes the book a good adventure.
This may be a nitpick, but though I understood the Star Wars references, it may not be the same case for all readers. That’s the tricky thing about references, how can we be sure the audience understands the references? Is there any point in including references when not all of the audience will understand it, and will likely be left bewildered and unsure of what the author is trying to convey?
One of the parts I enjoyed the most about this book is the beautiful illustrations by the artist Monokubo, who also shares lovely art on Instagram and Tumblr. The writing and plot are already energetic and exciting, so the more sober colours and detailed illustrations lend the story a sense of gravity, that is, not entirely ridiculous. The art further aids the readers to imagine and visualise the action and the drama of the various situations.
I wasn’t fond of the ending of this book, though I suspect this is just my personal preference. It might have been nice for this book to be a standalone instead of branching out to a series of time travellers and possible mythical beings (it somehow reminds me of Mr. Peabody & Sherman).
Overall, I wouldn’t recommend this book if you’re looking for a diverse cast of characters or for strong character development, and sometimes the plot can be confusing, but it’s a fun adventure through some parts of London (and of course, it’s still centred around the Tower of London). It’s still exciting, and despite my personal preferences, this series (dubbed Nature’s Claw in Goodreads) may be a nice way to get people interested in the history of the places and people mentioned.
The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw
medium-paced
5.0
Sometimes short story collections contain stories that are obviously meant to be the main feature of the book, with the other stories in the collection pale in comparison. This can understandably detract from the reading experience, especially if the “main feature” appears very early on in the book. This doesn’t happen in this book, which is cohesive and absorbing throughout.
Although it is told in first-person narrative, this book has none of the awkwardness of some novels where the protagonist is too acutely aware that they are the narrator, so it ends up with them stating their feelings and the reasons behind these feelings. This tends to destroy any of the mood built up from the plot development, which can make the protagonist a chore to read about. In this book, the tone is conversational. It’s casual so it feels as if the reader is sitting right there with the ladies, listening to them as they share their secrets, joys, and sorrows. It’s also intimate, so the reader is also partly omniscient, capable of watching the events unfold and getting a better grasp of what is going on compared to the characters, but not being able to do anything to help.
In an illuminating PEN America interview with the author, the author mentioned that “My fiction is my attempt to tell the truth about my life and the lives of women and girls who look like me, who struggle to get free of the same things I’ve struggled to free myself from, who seek after our own pleasure and satisfaction in a world that tells us we should be content with something less—something different than what we long for.” I believe that The Secret Lives of Church Ladies lives up to the author’s attempt as the stories delve into the lives of the different characters, who all have glorious and complex personalities and values so that the humanity of the characters truly shines through.
One of the things I liked best in the book were the descriptions of cheerful domestic life, of the saltiness of crabs bubbling in a pot filling the air, watching TV together while linking hands with the elders of the family, and so on. The descriptions were comforting and sparked a good bout of nostalgia. Although I don’t share the same experiences as the ladies in the book, the nostalgia of remembering good childhood memories may be a mutual feeling.
Overall, I greatly enjoyed this book. It reveals the bittersweetness of life and love, the comfort of the soft moments and the harshness of rejection and other difficult aspects of life told from the perspectives of black women and girls. Reading this book was frankly an intriguing experience, and I'd highly recommend it.
From Words & Nocturnes.
Although it is told in first-person narrative, this book has none of the awkwardness of some novels where the protagonist is too acutely aware that they are the narrator, so it ends up with them stating their feelings and the reasons behind these feelings. This tends to destroy any of the mood built up from the plot development, which can make the protagonist a chore to read about. In this book, the tone is conversational. It’s casual so it feels as if the reader is sitting right there with the ladies, listening to them as they share their secrets, joys, and sorrows. It’s also intimate, so the reader is also partly omniscient, capable of watching the events unfold and getting a better grasp of what is going on compared to the characters, but not being able to do anything to help.
In an illuminating PEN America interview with the author, the author mentioned that “My fiction is my attempt to tell the truth about my life and the lives of women and girls who look like me, who struggle to get free of the same things I’ve struggled to free myself from, who seek after our own pleasure and satisfaction in a world that tells us we should be content with something less—something different than what we long for.” I believe that The Secret Lives of Church Ladies lives up to the author’s attempt as the stories delve into the lives of the different characters, who all have glorious and complex personalities and values so that the humanity of the characters truly shines through.
One of the things I liked best in the book were the descriptions of cheerful domestic life, of the saltiness of crabs bubbling in a pot filling the air, watching TV together while linking hands with the elders of the family, and so on. The descriptions were comforting and sparked a good bout of nostalgia. Although I don’t share the same experiences as the ladies in the book, the nostalgia of remembering good childhood memories may be a mutual feeling.
Overall, I greatly enjoyed this book. It reveals the bittersweetness of life and love, the comfort of the soft moments and the harshness of rejection and other difficult aspects of life told from the perspectives of black women and girls. Reading this book was frankly an intriguing experience, and I'd highly recommend it.
From Words & Nocturnes.
The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
5.0
The Lighthouse Witches follows three narratives and three different timelines. The first is Liv in the past when she brings her three daughters to a secluded island for a painting job; the second is a book Liv's oldest daughter Sapphire reads about the witch burning past of the island; the third is Liv's second daughter Luna in the present, where she finds her younger sister who went missing many years ago but still maintains the body of a child.
While there are three different points-of-view, the voices are clear and distinct, and even the time jumps between the narratives are not jarring. Instead, they slip into each other to build an overall seamless narrative. The points-of-view build on each other, revealing more and more as it goes on, which I found refreshing (for I am one of those guilty readers who skips forward to read certain characters' points-of-view before begrudgingly returning to read the rest).
The prose is simple and straightforward, free of flowery descriptions, but still capable of establishing personality, setting, and most importantly, atmosphere. The simplicity of the prose makes it easy to focus on the story - what is happening, who is speaking, without detracting from the surroundings. It doesn't sound dry either, as it is clear what the characters are seeing and what they feel.
It can be easy to distance ourselves from the cast of supporting characters, mainly because the heavy atmosphere thick with mystery and doubt makes one wonder "what happens next? Who can I trust?", becomes an overarching question that occupies most of the book. This is no big deal, because these questions are naturally part of what makes a thriller or mystery exciting to read. The main cast, namely Liv and her daughters, have reasonable issues, which make them interesting to read about and gradually easy to root for. The more we root for certain characters, the more invested we are in their stories, and the more we want them to triumph. However, it isn't that simple in Gothic fiction, where elements of horror can run rampant.
The author mentioned taking inspiration from Scottish witch trials, which is grisly piece of history, but I believe information about witch hunts and witch trials should be more well-known as it reflects some issues still present in these days. Back then, women weren't allowed to speak up for themselves when being accused as a witch, and they were tortured until their mind is exhausted and any legible, practical thought is shattered. ( Trigger warning: this book contains non-graphic mentions of physical, mental, and sexual abuse, of which the subject, mood and tone may be triggering for some. )
I enjoyed this book greatly, and it brought me immense satisfaction upon finishing it, which is an experience I haven't had for quite some time (due to an unexpected reading slump). Best of all, this book lingered in my mind and made me think and marvel over its many details as many good books often do (though perhaps bad books have a tendency to linger as well, but not for the same reasons). I kept thinking of the different characters, how love and loneliness can affect a person, how the narration links together wonderfully...
If you like mystery, intrigue and a little heartbreak, perhaps you should give this book a try.
Received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Netgalley, HarperCollins and C.J. Cooke for the chance to read this delightful ARC.
From Words & Nocturnes
While there are three different points-of-view, the voices are clear and distinct, and even the time jumps between the narratives are not jarring. Instead, they slip into each other to build an overall seamless narrative. The points-of-view build on each other, revealing more and more as it goes on, which I found refreshing (for I am one of those guilty readers who skips forward to read certain characters' points-of-view before begrudgingly returning to read the rest).
The prose is simple and straightforward, free of flowery descriptions, but still capable of establishing personality, setting, and most importantly, atmosphere. The simplicity of the prose makes it easy to focus on the story - what is happening, who is speaking, without detracting from the surroundings. It doesn't sound dry either, as it is clear what the characters are seeing and what they feel.
It can be easy to distance ourselves from the cast of supporting characters, mainly because the heavy atmosphere thick with mystery and doubt makes one wonder "what happens next? Who can I trust?", becomes an overarching question that occupies most of the book. This is no big deal, because these questions are naturally part of what makes a thriller or mystery exciting to read. The main cast, namely Liv and her daughters, have reasonable issues, which make them interesting to read about and gradually easy to root for. The more we root for certain characters, the more invested we are in their stories, and the more we want them to triumph. However, it isn't that simple in Gothic fiction, where elements of horror can run rampant.
The author mentioned taking inspiration from Scottish witch trials, which is grisly piece of history, but I believe information about witch hunts and witch trials should be more well-known as it reflects some issues still present in these days. Back then, women weren't allowed to speak up for themselves when being accused as a witch, and they were tortured until their mind is exhausted and any legible, practical thought is shattered. ( Trigger warning: this book contains non-graphic mentions of physical, mental, and sexual abuse, of which the subject, mood and tone may be triggering for some. )
I enjoyed this book greatly, and it brought me immense satisfaction upon finishing it, which is an experience I haven't had for quite some time (due to an unexpected reading slump). Best of all, this book lingered in my mind and made me think and marvel over its many details as many good books often do (though perhaps bad books have a tendency to linger as well, but not for the same reasons). I kept thinking of the different characters, how love and loneliness can affect a person, how the narration links together wonderfully...
If you like mystery, intrigue and a little heartbreak, perhaps you should give this book a try.
Received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Netgalley, HarperCollins and C.J. Cooke for the chance to read this delightful ARC.
From Words & Nocturnes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexism
Minor: Sexual assault
Journey by Luke Miller
adventurous
medium-paced
5.0
The idea behind Journey is interesting. It is not an unheard of concept. The end product is essentially a writing workbook with a "choose your own adventure" vibe infused in it. Readers are given the chance to go on a journey in any world they choose, whether it be preexisting fictional worlds or self-created worlds. Readers are taken through this process, or rather journey, with the aid of instructions, prompts, and examples.
The pages have a simple layout that is pleasing to the eyes, and apt illustrations accompany the content, making the content more visually pleasing and engaging. A pleasant surprise is that Journey includes all the details one would usually stress over. This includes the "length of journeys", similarities between different locations and so on.
One slight nitpick I could find with the book is that the examples are put right at the end of the book. While this may cut any "blabber" from the middle of the book, making for a seamless reading experience, this may not be the case for first time readers. For those who need the examples as guidelines for navigating through Journey, having to constantly flip (or scroll) to the back of the book can be distracting. It could possibly detract a little from the reader's otherwise smooth-sailing experience.
Journey is described as suitable for "writers, designers, game masters, and the uncommonly curious". While so far I have only experienced the book through a writer's view, it has been a fun experience. In my case, it can be difficult to start planning in the first place due to a number of reasons, the main one being a tendency to slack off. By turning the planning process into a game, it gives structure to the process and makes it less of a seemingly arduous or difficult process.
The book begins with words from Terry Pratchett's A Hat Full of Sky, part of it being "There’s always a story. It’s all stories, really. The sun coming up every day is a story. Everything’s got a story in it. Change the story, change the world." Journey brings the promise of worlds full of stories and imagination, and it invites readers to delve into their creativity. It makes the planning process less daunting, and provides a solid start to a great number of possibilities and creations.
Initially appeared on Reedsy Discovery and can also be found at Words & Nocturnes.
The pages have a simple layout that is pleasing to the eyes, and apt illustrations accompany the content, making the content more visually pleasing and engaging. A pleasant surprise is that Journey includes all the details one would usually stress over. This includes the "length of journeys", similarities between different locations and so on.
One slight nitpick I could find with the book is that the examples are put right at the end of the book. While this may cut any "blabber" from the middle of the book, making for a seamless reading experience, this may not be the case for first time readers. For those who need the examples as guidelines for navigating through Journey, having to constantly flip (or scroll) to the back of the book can be distracting. It could possibly detract a little from the reader's otherwise smooth-sailing experience.
Journey is described as suitable for "writers, designers, game masters, and the uncommonly curious". While so far I have only experienced the book through a writer's view, it has been a fun experience. In my case, it can be difficult to start planning in the first place due to a number of reasons, the main one being a tendency to slack off. By turning the planning process into a game, it gives structure to the process and makes it less of a seemingly arduous or difficult process.
The book begins with words from Terry Pratchett's A Hat Full of Sky, part of it being "There’s always a story. It’s all stories, really. The sun coming up every day is a story. Everything’s got a story in it. Change the story, change the world." Journey brings the promise of worlds full of stories and imagination, and it invites readers to delve into their creativity. It makes the planning process less daunting, and provides a solid start to a great number of possibilities and creations.
Initially appeared on Reedsy Discovery and can also be found at Words & Nocturnes.