My favorite decadent spies are back! Though they’re a little worse for wear…. Around this time last year, I reviewed Lara Elena Donnelly’s debut novel Amberlough. Set in a fantasy world resembling pre-WWII Europe, the first book delved into the entangled lives of government agents and cabaret dancers as they sought to navigate the sudden rise of a fascist regime. Its sequel, Armistice, came out last month and deals with the aftermath of these events. Under the scorching sun of foreign lands, Aristide starts a new life for himself while Cordelia scrambles for safety. They both soon learn that you can flee the country, but you cannot escape your past. Continue reading Review of Armistice–Aesthetes in Exile
Tag: fantasy
Daughter of Smoke & Bone Review—Not Your Average Angels and Demons
Karou lives in two worlds. In one, she’s a gifted art student studying in Prague; in the other, she collects teeth for a ram-horned chimaera. Balancing those two lives was hard enough, even before being attacked by an angel. I have to admit that I had no idea what I was getting into when I picked up Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor. The book has been out for years, and I remember there being a lot of hype a while back. But honestly, I have a really hard time keeping track of all the different series with “_____ of _____ and _____” titles. After a friend reminded me of this one’s existence, I decided to just jump into it cold, without looking anything up about the series. Once I started reading, I was pleasantly surprised! Continue reading Daughter of Smoke & Bone Review—Not Your Average Angels and Demons
Review of Dread Nation–Civil War Zombies!
When the dead start to rise on the battlefield at Gettysburg, the American Civil War is taken in a whole new direction. This is the premise of Justina Ireland’s unique new zombie tale, Dread Nation. This book has been on my radar since the beginning of the year, so as soon as it came out last month, I hopped on the waiting list to get the audiobook from the library. I love the idea of combining zombie horror with alternative history. Add in a badass teenage heroine who takes on zombies and institutionalized racism alike with her sharp-edged sickles, and I’m 100% sold! Continue reading Review of Dread Nation–Civil War Zombies!
Children of Blood and Bone Review
Zélie is a Reaper, the first one in eleven years. But with the power of death, can she really bring magic back to life? Find out in Tomi Adeyemi’s debut novel Children of Blood and Bone, the first book in the Legacy of Orïsha trilogy. The buzz around this new African-inspired YA fantasy novel has been taking over Twitter since well before the book’s release last month—so much so that I already had it on my radar when writing my list of Books I’m Excited for in 2018 at the beginning of the year. I had the audiobook on hold from the library for almost a month before finally getting it in, but it was definitely worth the wait. Continue reading Children of Blood and Bone Review
Beneath the Haunting Sea–A Mythic Debut
Talia doesn’t believe in the old gods and the legends that her mother used to tell her beside the fire. But just because she doesn’t believe, doesn’t mean they aren’t real.… Ancient curses and buried prophecies rise up from the depths in Joanna Ruth Meyer’s Beneath the Haunting Sea. What better way to start off the new year than with a brand new book from a debut author, right? It’s the perfect time for fresh voices and new perspectives. Beneath the Haunting Sea comes out tomorrow, January 9th. Find it at your local retailer, or scroll to the bottom of this post to buy it online and support the blog by using my Bookshop.org affiliate link. Continue reading Beneath the Haunting Sea–A Mythic Debut
Review of Half Bad–Is He a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?
Recently, I’ve started playing a game with myself where I pick a book on my Goodreads “Want to Read” list that I don’t remember putting there, find the audiobook, and dive right in without reading any descriptions or summaries. This was how I stumbled upon the book Half Bad by Sally Green. Half Bad is the first book in a trilogy, and from the cover you can kind of get the idea that it’s a YA fantasy with a male protagonist, but that’s about all I knew going in. As it turned out, I think Half Bad may be one of the best books I’ve read so far this year! Continue reading Review of Half Bad–Is He a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?
Review of Amberlough–A Blend of Grit and Decadence
In my continued quest to branch out into new genres, I found a book so different from what I normally read that I hardly know how to describe it. Lara Elena Donnelly’s debut novel, Amberlough, is a fantasy political thriller with a noir aesthetic. I attended the launch party back in February and was immediately intrigued by the chapter Lara read to the crowd. Unusual and intriguing characters, a twisting and unpredictable plot, and a world so different and yet poignantly similar to our own—Amberlough is not to be missed if you’re looking for something new and unique to read! Continue reading Review of Amberlough–A Blend of Grit and Decadence
Review of Seven Black Diamonds—A Tale of Faery Terrorists
Faeries and humans are at war in the newest series by young adult fantasy author Melissa Marr. If the author’s name sounds familiar to you, it may be because I’ve been raving about getting to cross swords with Melissa earlier this month at Glimmerdark. It might also be because Melissa Marr’s debut series Wicked Lovely was widely popular, and helped to push the niche genre of faery-based urban fantasy to the forefront. Now, Melissa Marr returns to faeries again, but with some striking differences from her earlier works. Seven Black Diamonds is the story of a fae sleeper cell sent to undermine the humans by hiding among them. Its sequel, One Blood Ruby, comes out later this month. Continue reading Review of Seven Black Diamonds—A Tale of Faery Terrorists
Leanna Renee Hieber’s Heartwarming Holiday Story, “A Christmas Carroll”
Who doesn’t love a good Christmas ghost story? Especially when that ghost story is also a love story! And of course, it’s even better when that story is a companion novella to a series you’re (not so) patiently waiting for the next book in. You’ve heard me rave all year about Victorian fantasy author Leanna Renee Hieber and her newly re-released Strangely Beautiful saga. Books one and two have been re-edited and published by Tor in a beautiful single volume, which I reviewed back in April. The next book, a prequel called Perilous Prophecy is slated to be reissued next June. In the meantime, Leanna’s short novella “A Christmas Carroll” is just the thing to tide us over, and it’s appropriately festive for the season! Continue reading Leanna Renee Hieber’s Heartwarming Holiday Story, “A Christmas Carroll”
Labyrinth Lost Review–A Bruja Bildungsroman
Alex hates being a bruja, but after she accidentally banishes her entire extended family to the underworld, learning to control her powers may be her only hope of getting them back. After hearing this premise, I knew that Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova would be just my kind of book. Back in October, I wrote about seeing Zoraida speak at the Boston Teen Author Festival, where she discussed the recent release of Labyrinth Lost and how her cultural upbringing influenced the novel, particularly in her portrayals of magic and death. After getting my copy signed, I added it to the top of my to-read pile and soon found that it more than lived up to my expectations. Continue reading Labyrinth Lost Review–A Bruja Bildungsroman