Month: July 2023

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Fairies Review

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Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world’s first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party–or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, Shadow, and the Fair Folk to other people. So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, get in the middle of Emily’s research, and utterly confound and frustrate her. But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones–the most elusive of all faeries–lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she’ll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all–her own heart.

Masters of Death Review

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Viola Marek is a struggling real estate agent, and a vampire. But her biggest problem currently is that the house she needs to sell is haunted. The ghost haunting the house has been murdered, and until he can solve the mystery of how he died, he refuses to move on. Fox D’Mora is a medium, and though is also most-definitely a shameless fraud, he isn’t entirely without his uses—seeing as he’s actually the godson of Death. When Viola seeks out Fox to help her with her ghost-infested mansion, he becomes inextricably involved in a quest that neither he nor Vi expects (or wants). But with the help of an unruly poltergeist, a demonic personal trainer, a sharp-voiced angel, a love-stricken reaper, and a few high-functioning creatures, Vi and Fox soon discover the difference between a mysterious lost love and an annoying dead body isn’t nearly as distinct as they thought.

The Gilded Wolves Review

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It’s 1889. The city is on the cusp of industry and power, and the Exposition Universelle has breathed new life into the streets and dredged up ancient secrets. Here, no one keeps tabs on dark truths better than treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier Séverin Montagnet-Alarie. When the elite, ever-powerful Order of Babel coerces him to help them on a mission, Séverin is offered a treasure that he never imagined: his true inheritance. To hunt down the ancient artifact the Order seeks, Séverin calls upon a band of unlikely experts: An engineer with a debt to pay. A historian banished from his home. A dancer with a sinister past. And a brother in arms if not blood. Together, they will join Séverin as he explores the dark, glittering heart of Paris. What they find might change the course of history–but only if they can stay alive.

June 2023 Wrap Up

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After January I never thought I would beat those numbers. I thought I had peaked too early but June proved to be the best month ever!

  • I read 23 books this month
  • Genre: 15 fantasy, 4 mystery, 2 sci-fi, 1 romance and 1 non-fiction
  • Gender of authors: 15 women, 4 men and 1 non-binary author
  • Race of authors: 13 white authors, 3 asian authors, 3 black authors and 1 jewish latina author
  • Age range: 10 adult, 9 middle grade and 4 YA
  • Format: 11 paperback, 7 ebooks and 5 hardback.

Challenges

  • Prompt: Middle Grade
    • Hilda – Luke Pearson
    • Luna and the Treasure of Tlaloc – Joe Todd-Stanton
    • Onyeka and the Rise of the Rebels – Tola Okogwu
    • Ember Shadows and the Fates of Mount Never – Rebecca King
    • The Tea Dragon Society – Kay O’Neill
    • The Case of the Lighthouse Intruder – Kereen Getten
    • Howl’s Moving Castle – Diana Wynne Jones
  • Sequel Challenge:
    • Onyeka and the Rise of the Rebels – Tola Okogwu
    • Blue Exorcist, Vol.2 – Kazue Kato
  • Short Story Challenge:
    • The Six Deaths of the Saint – Alex E. Harrow

As is now usual for my wrap ups I will only be talking about the books where I feel that I have loads to say.

We Should All Be Feminists – Chimimanda Ngoni Adiche (3 stars)

I loved this TedTalk when it first came out around 2012. But as I have grown and my knowledge of feminism has changed and grown. I felt this book was only just scraping the surface of what needs to be discussed. It tackles one of the core foundations of feminism but it was not in depth enough for me and not very inclusionary of LGBTQ+, Trans and Non-Binary people.

The Case of the Lighthouse Intruder – Kereen Getten (3 stars)

A super cute and exciting mystery for young audiences. I loved the main character so much. Her determination, her intelligence, everything. I also felt that the book did a great job tackling topics such as bullying and financial difficulties.

A Wizard of Earthsea/The Tombs of Atuan – Ursula K. Le Guin (4/3 stars)

I read the first two books in the Earthsea series on holiday. I really enjoyed A Wizard from Earthsea and I felt very average feelings for The Tombs of Atuan. For A Wizard from Earthsea, I loved the characters, I loved the setting and I loved the coming of age story. I did feel that the story ended very abruptly. For The Tombs of Atuan, I loved the setting and the main character and her crisis of faith moment but the writing was just not engaging at all and I ended up skim reading the ending.

Ember Shadow and the Fates of Mount Never – Rebecca King (4 stars)

I CANNOT BELEIVE it took me this long to read this book. This book was soooo good. It had super strong Alice in Wonderland meets Labyrinth vibes. Super whimsical yet it handled the emotional moments so well. I loved this book so much!

Gwen and Art are Not in Love – Lex Croucher (4 stars)

Back on my romance grind. Now way too many romance books are called rom coms yet they aren’t funny. This book however put the comedy in romantic comedy. It was a historical rom com with a lot of emphasis on the legend of King Arthur which I found to be really interesting. The dialogue was hilarious and witty and I loved the platonic banter between Gwen and Art. My favourite enemies to friends.

Onyeka and the Rise of the Rebels – Tola Okogwu (4 stars)

My favourite kids book from last year finally got a sequel and it was just as good. Black Panther meets X-Men. It was action-packed, funny, exhilarating. Again, it tackled those harder topics so well and I loved our core group of kids. It’s always the series I recommend to children. So good! The anxiety rep in this book was especially good.

The Six Deaths of the Saint – Alix E. Harrow (4 stars)

This book was super hyped on twitter early 2023 and I only just got round to reading it. I get the hype, I understand why it is loved so much. So much happens in such a small amount of pages and it is heartbreaking!

Thornhedge – T. Kingfisher (4 stars)

My first ever T. Kingfisher novel and it did not disappoint. A really nice way of re-telling the Sleeping Beauty fairy-tale but in a more gothic and gory twist. I felt that one of the strongest elements of this story was the imagery Kingfisher created with her writing. I could just picture everything perfectly with the way she described things.

Herc – Phoenicia Rogerson (4 stars)

One of my new favourite greek myth re-tellings. Funny, heartfelt and just as easily heartbreaking. This story is told through multiple POV from people in Herc’s life and I enjoyed every second of it. I also learnt so much about Herc’s myth that I didn’t already know which was super fun!

Hilda series – Luke Pearson (5 stars)

So, I read 6 Hilda comics last month and they were the cutest thing I have ever read. The art design is absolutely incredible, the stories are wonderful and whimsical and I love the blend of the modern day alongside fantasy and how they fit and work together. Hilda is an amazing and witty character full of brains and empathy. My favourite comics had to be the last two the Night of the Trolls ones. SO GOOD!

The books I read but did not mention:

  • Hooky – Miriam Bonastre Tur (DNF)
  • Lemon – Kwon Yeo-Sun (DNF)
  • Howl’s Moving Castle – Diana Wynne Jones (DNF)
  • The Mimicking of Known Successes – Malka Older (2.5 stars)
  • Uncle Paul – Celia Fremlin (3 stars)
  • The Tea Dragon Society – Kay O’Neill (3 stars)
  • The Hunter’s Guild: Red Hood, Vol.1 – Yuki Kawaguchi (4 stars)
  • Cards on the Table – Agatha Christie (4 stars)
  • Blue Exorcist, Vol.2 – Kazue Kato (4 stars)

July 2023 TBR

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I had a SUPER successful June! My best month for 2023 so far. That means I do not think July will be super successful. Once you go up, one must come down. I have 7 books planned for this month so let’s get into it. This month’s theme is Low Fantasy.

  • Title: Masters of Death
  • Author: Olivie Blake
  • Series: Standalone
  • Format: Paperback
  • Age Rating: Adult
  • Genre: Urban Fantasy


Plot: Viola Marek is a struggling real estate agent, and a vampire. But her biggest problem currently is that the house she needs to sell is haunted. The ghost haunting the house has been murdered, and until he can solve the mystery of how he died, he refuses to move on. Fox D’Mora is a medium, and though is also most-definitely a shameless fraud, he isn’t entirely without his uses—seeing as he’s actually the godson of Death. When Viola seeks out Fox to help her with her ghost-infested mansion, he becomes inextricably involved in a quest that neither he nor Vi expects (or wants). But with the help of an unruly poltergeist, a demonic personal trainer, a sharp-voiced angel, a love-stricken reaper, and a few high-functioning creatures, Vi and Fox soon discover the difference between a mysterious lost love and an annoying dead body isn’t nearly as distinct as they thought.

  • Title: Hotel Magnifique
  • Author: Emily J. Taylor
  • Series: Standalone
  • Format: Paperback
  • Age Rating: YA
  • Genre: Fantasy


Plot: All her life, Jani has dreamed of Elsewhere. Just barely scraping by with her job at a tannery, she’s resigned to a dreary life in the port town of Durc, caring for her younger sister Zosa. That is, until the Hotel Magnifique comes to town. The hotel is legendary not only for its whimsical enchantments, but also for its ability to travel—appearing in a different destination every morning. While Jani and Zosa can’t afford the exorbitant costs of a guest’s stay, they can interview to join the staff, and are soon whisked away on the greatest adventure of their lives. But once inside, Jani quickly discovers their contracts are unbreakable and that beneath the marvelous glamour, the hotel is hiding dangerous secrets. With the vexingly handsome doorman Bel as her only ally, Jani embarks on a mission to unravel the mystery of the magic at the heart of the hotel and free Zosa—and the other staff—from the cruelty of the ruthless maître d’hôtel. To succeed, she’ll have to risk everything she loves, but failure would mean a fate far worse than never returning home.

  • Title: A Torch Against the Night
  • Author: Sabaa Tahir
  • Series: An Ember in the Ashes #2
  • Format: Paperback
  • Age Rating: YA
  • Genre: Fantasy


Plot (Spoilers): Elias and Laia are running for their lives. After the events of the Fourth Trial, Martial soldiers hunt the two fugitives as they flee the city of Serra and undertake a perilous journey through the heart of the Empire. Laia is determined to break into Kauf—the Empire’s most secure and dangerous prison—to save her brother, who is the key to the Scholars’ survival. And Elias is determined to help Laia succeed, even if it means giving up his last chance at freedom. But dark forces, human and otherworldly, work against Laia and Elias. The pair must fight every step of the way to outsmart their enemies: the bloodthirsty Emperor Marcus, the merciless Commandant, the sadistic Warden of Kauf, and, most heartbreaking of all, Helene—Elias’s former friend and the Empire’s newest Blood Shrike. Bound to Marcus’s will, Helene faces a torturous mission of her own—one that might destroy her: find the traitor Elias Veturius and the Scholar slave who helped him escape…and kill them both.

  • Title: These Violent Delights
  • Author: Chloe Gong
  • Series: These Violent Delights #1
  • Format: Paperback
  • Age Rating: New Adult
  • Genre: Historical Fantasy


Plot: The year is 1926, and Shanghai hums to the tune of debauchery. A blood feud between two gangs runs the streets red, leaving the city helpless in the grip of chaos. At the heart of it all is eighteen-year-old Juliette Cai, a former flapper who has returned to assume her role as the proud heir of the Scarlet Gang—a network of criminals far above the law. Their only rivals in power are the White Flowers, who have fought the Scarlets for generations. And behind every move is their heir, Roma Montagov, Juliette’s first love…and first betrayal. But when gangsters on both sides show signs of instability culminating in clawing their own throats out, the people start to whisper. Of a contagion, a madness. Of a monster in the shadows. As the deaths stack up, Juliette and Roma must set their guns—and grudges—aside and work together, for if they can’t stop this mayhem, then there will be no city left for either to rule.

  • Title: Every Heart A Doorway
  • Author: Seanan McGuire
  • Series: Wayward Children #1
  • Format: Hardback
  • Age Rating: Adult
  • Genre: Portal Fantasy


Plot: Children have always disappeared under the right conditions; slipping through the shadows under a bed or at the back of a wardrobe, tumbling down rabbit holes and into old wells, and emerging somewhere… else. But magical lands have little need for used-up miracle children. Nancy tumbled once, but now she’s back. The things she’s experienced… they change a person. The children under Miss West’s care understand all too well. And each of them is seeking a way back to their own fantasy world. But Nancy’s arrival marks a change at the Home. There’s a darkness just around each corner, and when tragedy strikes, it’s up to Nancy and her new-found schoolmates to get to the heart of the matter. No matter the cost.

  • Title: Strange the Dreamer
  • Author: Laini Taylor
  • Series: Strange the Dreamer #1
  • Format: Paperback
  • Age Rating: Adult
  • Genre: Fantasy


Plot: The dream chooses the dreamer, not the other way around—and Lazlo Strange, war orphan and junior librarian, has always feared that his dream chose poorly. Since he was five years old he’s been obsessed with the mythic lost city of Weep, but it would take someone bolder than he to cross half the world in search of it. Then a stunning opportunity presents itself, in the person of a hero called the Godslayer and a band of legendary warriors, and he has to seize his chance or lose his dream forever. What happened in Weep two hundred years ago to cut it off from the rest of the world? What exactly did the Godslayer slay that went by the name of god? And what is the mysterious problem he now seeks help in solving? The answers await in Weep, but so do more mysteries—including the blue-skinned goddess who appears in Lazlo’s dreams. How did he dream her before he knew she existed? And if all the gods are dead, why does she seem so real?

  • Title: Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries
  • Author: Heather Fawcett
  • Series: Emily Wilde #1
  • Format: Paperback
  • Age Rating: Adult
  • Genre: Fantasy Romance


Plot: Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world’s first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party–or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, Shadow, and the Fair Folk to other people. So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, get in the middle of Emily’s research, and utterly confound and frustrate her. But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones–the most elusive of all faeries–lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she’ll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all–her own heart.

  • Title: Vern: Custodian of the Universe
  • Author: Tyrell Waiters
  • Series: Standalone
  • Format: Paperback
  • Age Rating: YA
  • Genre: Sci-Fi


Plot: On the edge of burnout, Vern decides to return to his family in the Sunshine State to start over. Starting a new dead-end job as a custodian at Quasar—a local science facility with a shady motive—he shrugs on his uniform, grabs a mop and bucket, and trudges off to clean up… Black holes? Space-time anomalies? Galactic ooze? Things aren’t entirely what they seem at Quasar, and when Vern accidentally plugs in a mysterious machine and finds himself standing on the brink of the destruction of every planet in the Multiverse, he’s presented with the greatest question of what is the point?