A place for bookish discussions, edits and book reviews! YA books mostly, diverse books as often as possible! You can find me on twitter @minandherbooks :)
My Rating: 4 stars Summary: Sixteen-year-old Solomon is agoraphobic. He hasn’t left the house in three years, which is fine by him. Ambitious Lisa desperately wants to get into the second-best psyc…
My Rating: 4.25 stars Summary: She can uncover the truth, if she defeats her demons. Ex-neuroscientist Carina struggles with a drug problem, her conscience, and urges to kill. She satisfies her cr…
Hello, everyone! I’m here today with GREAT NEWS: A Twitter giveaway. The lovely Sarah Vetter will be teaming up with lots of different bloggers for giveaways happening during the month of Sep…
My Rating: 4 stars Summary: Erik’s father lived for Pamplona’s yearly festival and the running of the bulls. Now he’s gone, and Erik flies to Pamplona on a whim to see the festival his father loved…
Hello guys! Here I am with yet another book tag! Do you guys ever get tired of those? I clearly don’t. Anyways, this one tag was originally a Booktube tag created by Emma at her YouTube chann…
My Rating: 5 stars Summary: New York Barons tight end Gavin Brawley is suspended from the team and on house arrest after a video of him brawling goes viral. Gavin already has a reputation as a jer…
Summary: Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven…
Hello, everybody! I’m trying something new today! Are you excited? I am! Okay, so the plan is to have different little things happening for each different week day! Does that mean I’ll …
So, I saw this tag on booktube, and then the blog version at my friend Laura’s blog, so I decided to do it as well. I mean, it’s bookish and it sounds fun, so why not?
Shall we begin?
1. Best Book You’ve Read So Far in 2017?
This is very hard to answer because I’ve truly read SO MANY amazing books. I feel like I keep giving 5 stars to books, honestly. But I think I’ll go with Strange the Dreamer, by Laini Taylor. It’s a beautifully written tale about kindness and war and the pain it leaves behind. I especially fell in love with the characters and Taylor’s flawless writing style. A must read.
2. Best Sequel You’ve Read So Far in 2017?
Best sequel will have to go with The Invasion of the Tearling, the second book in the The Queen of the Tearling trilogy, which is, impossibly, ridiculously, better than the first book. I adore the character development in this, how it plays with the lines between good and evil, how much depth it gives it’s heroes and villains alike. I can’t wait to read the next one, but I also don’t want this book to end!
3. New Release You Haven’t Read Yet, But Want To?
That one’s gotta go to Want, by Cindy Pon. I’ve just recently bought my copy of it, and I’m saving it for a very special August event I’m preparing, but oh my god, I want to read it RIGHT. NOW.
4. Most Anticipated Release For Second Half of 2015?
I have three answers for this. One is Like Water, by Rebecca Podos, which I just read an ARC of, but desperately want others to read, too, because guys. GUYS. It’s great. I loved it SO MUCH, I can’t stop thinking about it!
5. Biggest Disappointment?
Most of the books I’ve read this year are books by marginalized authors, so I feel really weird casting that shadow over them. Because of that, I’m kinda cheating on this one and saying my biggest disappointment was not being able to read more in June because I was so unbelievably busy! Be better, June 2018!
6. Biggest Surprise?
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, for sure. It clearly took me years to read this, but when I sat down to read it, I couldn’t stop. This one one of my all time favorites, and means SO MUCH to me.
7. Favourite New (or New to You) Author?
I think I’ll have to go with Rebecca Podos for this one. Like Water was so beautifully written, and treated it’s difficult subject matters with such respect, I honestly can’t wait to read more from her. Notable mentions: Mackenzi Lee, Emily Skrutskie, Hannah Johnson, Shira Glassman, Erika Johansen and Seanan McGuire.
8. Newest Fictional Crush?
That would have to be Swift, from Emily Skrutskie’s The Abyss Surrounds Us! She’s just so my type, okay? Gimme my girl pirate with a soft heart, please!
9. Newest Favourite Character?
Newest? I think I’ll have to go with Felicity, from The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue! Felicity is witty and considerate and so smart. She’s an amazing lady and I want nothing bad to ever happen to her ever.
10. Book That Made You Cry?
Secret about me? I’m a total book crier. It’s easier to tell you which book DIDN’T make me cry, to be frank. I’ll have to go with Every Heart a Doorway for this one though, because I did not expect to cry that much over this book, but I it actually made me sob.
11. Book That Made You Happy?
SO MANY. I’ve read great, happy books this year, so while I’ll have to go with the amazing The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue, with it’s tough and important subjects and yet still fun and funny af narrative and adorable characters, It’d be wrong to not remember Geekerella, by Ashley Poston, and Know Not Why, by Hannah Johnson.
12. Favourite Book To Movie Adaptation You Saw This Year?
I didn’t see any of those yet, I don’t think. No time for the cinema, guys. No time.
13. Favourite Review You’ve Written This Year?
I think my favorite review I’ve written so far is the one for The Abyss Surrounds Us, though I’m not particularly proud of my reviews, tbqh.
14. Most Beautiful Book You Bought So Far This Year?
We Are Okay, by Nina LaCour. I just love the colour combination, the beautiful front and back pages and the amazing cover. I didn’t expect it to be as beautiful in person as it actually is, so it was a nice surprise, too.
15. What Books Do You Need To Read By The End of The Year?
The ones I NEED to read are the ARCs I have, so Warcross by Marie Lu, That Inevitable Victorian Thing by E. K. Johnston, Shattered Minds by Laura Lam and The Speaker by Traci Chee. I’m very excited for all of them!
Ok, so that’s it for the Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag! This was a lot of fun, and I look forward to hopefully do it again next year
If anyone wants to do it, but hasn’t yet because they weren’t tagged: You are now tagged! Have fun!
Summary: With a book in her bag and a switchblade in her pocket, Rebel's been thieving her way through life while hoping for a cure to fix her ailing heart. But when the bejeweled vase she just tried to hawk turns out to be a jinni's vessel, Rebel gets lost to her world and dragged within another. Now every magical being in the city wants the vase for himself. Thrust into a game of cat and mouse in a world she never knew existed, Rebel must use her uncanny skills to find a way to free Anjeline the Wishmaker. But wishes have consequences. And contracts. Anjeline's freedom could unravel a love like Rebel has never known, or it could come at the cost of Rebel's heart...
Rebel is a thief with a broken heart. Like, really. Abandoned as a kid, Rebel has found a way to make her life, well, hers. She’s a well known thief, and it’s been working well for her until, while trying for something that will maybe bring her enough to try and make better her failing heart, she steals something a lot more valuable, and dangerous, than she could have ever expected, something that introduces her o a whole knew world she never knew existed!
This book was a pleasure to read. Honestly, it took me a little while to write this review because I wasn’t even sure how to. So much happens! It’s definitely a fast paced read, a book that never gets boring or uneventful. If you know me at all, you’ll know that I’m not really someone who minds slow books. In fact, they are often my favorites, because they tend to focus on character building and developing. Somehow, The Wishing Heart somehow manages to combine nonstop actions and good characters, with understandable motivations and relatable personalities.
Anjeline, the jinni and love interest of the story, had me hooked from her first appearance. I won’t say I’m an expert on jinni or the mythology around them, and I’d truly love to read reviews from people who are, but, that being said, I thoroughly enjoyed her character and her interactions with Rebel were truly a pleasure to read.
There are high stakes in this book, for both our main characters, and I truly appreciated that. I feel like too often in young and new adult lit we are told there is too much being risked but there never truly is. Not in this book. Anjeline and Rebel are fighters, as they must be in order to get through the events of this book with their freedom and their lives intact.
This is a story full of magic and adventure, one that is immersive and hard to put down, and makes you even wonder what could possibly be around in our world without our knowledge. I really enjoyed this story, and Welker’s writing, and hope that this is not the end for this world, that we get to see more of these characters.
I was given an eARC of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.
Please check the tag for trigger and content warnings!
Summary: 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.
I did not expect to love Every Heart a Doorway. I really, despite all the great reviews, didn’t expect how much this 170 page long book would affect me but oh, it did. This book is so hard to explain, really, and not only because of its plots, rather because it touches something within you, that part of you who’s been looking for a sense of belonging your entire life, it introduces you to kids and teenagers who finally found a place that was theirs, flaws and all, and then lost that place. Suddenly, these kids are back to our world, and they can’t cope with the loss. This novella is ridiculously quotable, carrying such a beautifully lyrical writing it makes me want to pick it up again just thinking about it, and it hasn’t even been 24h since I finished my first read. Seanan McGuire’s writing reads like a fairytale, a fairly creepy fairytale, but still. I truly loved this book, and I just wanted to stay in its world forever.
The main character, Nancy, is a girl who just came back from a very, very still world and is now faced with the impossible task of trying to live a normal life in our world. I felt for Nancy from the start. Her door took her to a very different world, in which she found people and a society that not allowed her to be who she truly was, but encouraged it, only to lose it, to lose that home. Honestly, this entire world is fascinating and, even if we don’t get much worldbuilding due to the length of the story, it managed to touch me in a very real way, it brought to the surface the need and search of home. Nancy embodies that in ache in this book, and you can clearly feel how it pains her to lose a bit more of her true world every day. Nancy is also an asexual main character, which is such a rare thing to find not only in YA, but overall. It was really nice for me to see the word “asexual” in a book, same with “aromantic”. I’ve heard mixed things from asexual bloggers on the representation though, so I do encourage readers to search for asexual bloggers’ reviews on this book for a more in-depth view of this!
The side characters are similarly likeable and easy to empathize with, seeing as all of them went through the same experience of finding their door, living unexplainable adventures, and then suddenly finding themselves back in this world that no longer felt like theirs. We have roommate Sumi, who went to a candy-filled world where no one kept still, twins Jack and Jill, who traveled to the eerie Moors, a land of vampire Masters under a red moon, and even Kade, a boy who was sent back from his destination when his hosts found out he wasn’t the princess they wanted him to be. You feel for all of them, and I truly can’t help both hope this series of companions turns out to be longer than the three confirmed books, and that we can get deeper into some of these alternate worlds our Wayward Children travel through.
Saying that Seanan McGuire surprised me with this little gem would be an understatement, truly. I’d never read anything by her before picking up Every Heart a Doorway, but I’m sure to do it now. McGuire’s writing is gorgeous, managing to feel simple and magical at the same time. The pace of the story was fast but not rushed until the very went, when I feel the murder mystery part of the story wrapped up far too quickly, though truthfully it never seemed to be the main point of the book, or even one of the things moving the story forward, even if it technically was. Ultimately, this book for me was more about what it made me feel than what it told me, so I couldn’t lower its rating.
I recommend this one to anyone who is still waiting for that big adventure of magic and fantasy and maybe dragons, and for a place to call home.
Please check the tag for trigger and content warnings!
Summary: Crusading journalist Nathaniel Roy is determined to expose spiritualists who exploit the grief of bereaved and vulnerable people. First on his list is the so-called Seer of London, Justin Lazarus. Nathaniel expects him to be a cheap, heartless fraud. He doesn’t expect to meet a man with a sinful smile and the eyes of a fallen angel—or that a shameless swindler will spark his desires for the first time in years.
Justin feels no remorse for the lies he spins during his séances. His gullible clients simply bore him. Hostile, disbelieving, utterly irresistible Nathaniel is a fascinating challenge. And as their battle of wills and wits heats up, Justin finds he can’t stop thinking about the man who’s determined to ruin him.
But Justin and Nathaniel are linked by more than their fast-growing obsession with one another. They are both caught up in an aristocratic family’s secrets, and Justin holds information that could be lethal. As killers, fanatics, and fog close in, Nathaniel is the only man Justin can trust—and, perhaps, the only man he could love.
I was introduced to K.J. Charles by one of my friends, in the wake of a book hangover caused by Ginn Hale’s The Rifter series. I was looking for queer books with historical setting, and said friend did not hesitate to send me the Goodreads links to basically all the books Charles had written, and they were a delight. Sure, I still haven’t read them all, but when I got the chance to read an early copy of An Unnatural Vice, I jumped at it, and it did not disappoint.
An Unnatural Vice follows Justin Lazarus, a well-known London spiritualist, and the skeptic journalist Nathaniel Roy who is determined to find out how is it that Lazarus performs his infamous séances, and to expose him as the fraud he believes the other man to be. I thoroughly enjoyed the main character’s interactions from the beginning, both being smart men with very, very different experiences in life, which results in an interesting dynamic. The main characters start off with intense dislike and mistrust, both of which are not really unjustified, considering their first meeting, during a séance in which Roy pretends to be someone else.
Nathaniel Roy was an easy character to empathize with, though not immediately likeable. He’s lived a privileged life, and while the loss and pain he suffers do make you feel for him, his relatively sheltered life does show in how, well… judgmental he is. His views of Lazarus and his trade are colored by his somewhat black and white view on morality. Nathaniel has lots of ideas for easy solutions to problems he never actually had and a very strong protective instinct which, for me, is what makes his relationship with Justin Lazarus so engaging. I just needed to know where they were going, how it would turn out and whether their differences were just too big to be ignored.
Despite said differences, life keeps throwing them together, and the mysterious Justin Lazarus, with his tough life that makes him feel lucky still for every little bit of comfort, sees himself involved in a dangerous plot that could lead him and Roy both to an early grave.
K.J. Charles’ writing is as pleasant as always, sucking you in from the beginning. The book is not very long and the fast pace of the narrative make it very easy to read in only a few hours. Combine the interesting characters with a compelling secondary plot of a murder mystery that encompasses not only this book but the whole Sins of the Cities series and you have a recipe to a great, impossible to put down read.
I was kindly given an early copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.
Summary: After dropping out of university and breaking up with her girlfriend of three years, Chris Morrison’s life is now a mind-numbing mess. She doubts that working at the small neighborhood bookstore is going to change that. The rest of her time is spent mostly playing guitar and ignoring the many messages her mother keeps sending her about going back to college.
But one day, an adorable and charming new bookseller waltzes her way into Chris’s life. Josie Navarro is sweet, flirty, and she always has a new book in her hands. The two girls start a fast friendship that, for Chris, holds the promise of something more. But is she reading too much into this or is it possible that Josie feels the same way?
I picked up The Melody of You and Me looking for something I could dive in and simply enjoy, and the novella did not disappoint. Maria Hollis’ writing flows very well and is very honest, endearing her characters to you right away.
Chris, the main character, has recently dropped out of college, to the distaste of her parents, causing her to break up with her long-term girlfriend Tabitha. Chris is lost, aimless, which is so, so relatable. She’s both trying to find herself somehow and hoping for her true purpose to find her. On the other side of that we have Josie, the new hire of the bookstore Chris works at, a girl full of dreams and goals, who listens to Chris and understands her without judgement.
Josie and Chris’ relationship is truly the highlight of this adorable novella, making us swoon from the beginning. The girls complement each other and, which is sadly still a rarity in literature of any kind, respect and support one another’s decisions, helping each other with the important bits of life without ever pushing too hard.
My only wish is that we’d had more time to get to know the other relationships around the girls, mostly with their families and coworkers. The bookstore staff, especially, felt like such a delightful group, even if small, and I’m happy to know Lily will be back as the protagonist of book 2 of this series of companion novellas. I truly look forward to reading it, and any future work by the author.
All in all, The Melody of You and Me is a delicious and fast paced read, filled with characters you’ll love right away.
Welcome to Andover… where superpowers are common, but internships are complicated. Just ask high school nobody, Jessica Tran. Despite her heroic lineage, Jess is resigned to a life without superpowers and is merely looking to beef-up her college applications when she stumbles upon the perfect (paid!) internship—only it turns out to be for the town’s most heinous supervillain. On the upside, she gets to work with her longtime secret crush, Abby, who Jess thinks may have a secret of her own. Then there’s the budding attraction to her fellow intern, the mysterious “M,” who never seems to be in the same place as Abby. But what starts as a fun way to spite her superhero parents takes a sudden and dangerous turn when she uncovers a plot larger than heroes and villains altogether.
Far From You by Tess Sharpe
Nine months. Two weeks. Six days.
That’s how long recovering addict Sophie’s been drug-free. Four months ago her best friend, Mina, died in what everyone believes was a drug deal gone wrong - a deal they think Sophie set up. Only Sophie knows the truth. She and Mina shared a secret, but there was no drug deal. Mina was deliberately murdered.
Forced into rehab for an addiction she’d already beaten, Sophie’s finally out and on the trail of the killer—but can she track them down before they come for her?
Hey guys! This is my very first Top 5 Wednesday post and I am SO EXCITED!
For those of you who don’t know, Top 5 Wednesday is a Goodreads group that suggests different bookish topics every wednesday, and this week’s topic is one very close to my heart: Top 5 books that represent your Hogwarts House! For me, this means TOP 5 BOOKS THAT REPRESENT GRYFFINDOR \o/
Now, obviously no one has to agree with my choices, and you may think some(maybe even all, who knows?) of the books on my list don’t really fit Gryffindor, and that’s alright. They are all great books regardless, and I hope you’ll give them a chance!
TOP 5 BOOKS THAT REPRESENT GRYFFINDOR
Empress of a Thousand Skies, by Rhoda Belleza
This is such a fun read. This book is very fast paced and I believe it has a very Gryffindor-like aesthetic, in a way. It’s all about daring missions and space wars, and the main characters went after what they believed was right, even when they were mistaken or misjudged someone. All around, I recommend this to anyone looking for the adventures often linked to Gryffindor, but like, in space ;)
The Queen of the Tearling, by Erika Johansen
I get that, if you’ve read this tale of magic, power and political intrigue, you might be feeling inclined to disagree with me right about now. But let me just explain: While the morally gray personality of basically every character (which very few exceptions might give you some Slytherin vibes, this book is, in m opinion, a great study of the multiple facets of a Gryffindor-like personality, especially in Kelsea, our main character. While Kelsea might have characteristics of every House (as most great characters do), she has the bravery and the warrior spirit one would associate with the Red & Gold, and even her main flaws, vanity and impulisivity, are very much Gryffindor characteristics, which just makes her character development throughout the trilogy even more exciting! I definitely recommend this one to those of you looking for political intrigue and complex, layered characters.
The Darkest Part of the Forest, by Holly Black
This book... This book is a story of fairies, and siblings and love and fear and bravery, but before all of that, it’s the story of Hazel, a girl who wanted to be a knight and lived in just the right (or very, very wrong) town for it. Hazel is the driving force in this book and, because of it, her Gryffindor tendencies make this book the perfect candidate for this list. If you want a story full of magic and so, so easy to read you won’t be able to put it down, give TDPotF a chance!
Proxy, by Alex London
Proxy is a book I read many, many years ago, but that stayed with me and continues to be one of the best dystopias I’ve ever read and, as we all know, there’s no better place in literature for a Gryffindor than in a dystopia. All the conflicts and inequality are the exact background needed for a gryffindor to shine, and Proxy doesn’t disappoint. The book is full of exciting and thrilling situations, class conflict, interesting characters and high stakes! A must read.
Superior, by Jessica Lack
Superior is a short and sweet novella about a teenager interning for a Superhero. Jamie, the main character, is incredibly charismatic, compassionate and very dedicated to do what’s right and good, even risking himself in the process, landing him firmly in Gryffinpuff (I know what I wrote, people) territory. His romance with the assistant to the local supervillain is downright adorable, and only makes the story ever sweeter. This story is worth every second you spend reading it, and I only wish I could experience reading it for the first time again!
Looking for some YA books with queer main characters to read during pride month? Here’s a list of titles I’ve read and/or heard great things about. Most of these were published within the past year or so. Feel free to add on!
You Know Me Well by David Levithian and Nina LaCour
Two classmates, one gay and the other lesbian, meet during pride month in San Francisco and help each other through relationship problems.
Tell me Again How a Crush Should Feel by Sara Farizan
Finally! A cute F/F novel where no lesbians die in the end! The main character is an Iranian American with traditional parents.
Last Seen Leaving by Caleb Roehrig
Mystery/thriller about a closeted gay boy who’s girlfriend goes missing, and he becomes the focus of her disappearance. I can usually figure out what happened in mystery novels early on but this one had me guessing until the very last page.
The Abyss Surrounds Us and The Edge of the Abyss by Emily Skrutskie
Lesbian pirates and sea monsters. Need I say more?
When the Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore
This one’s like reading a modern day fairy tell starring a trans boy named Sam, who’s family immigrated from Pakistan, and a Latina girl named Miel who grows flowers out of her wrists. And there’s a glass coffin. It’s super creepy.
Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde
Y’all, this is set at SupaCon (like Comic Con!). There are two narrators. Charlie, an Asian movie star who is bisexual, and Taylor, a blogger who has ASP.
Radical by E.M. Kokie
This one’s a little darker. It’s about a butch lesbian doomsday prepper who accidently gets involved in a dangerous plot that could get her and her family into some serious trouble. I liked this book because Bex’s views about guns are completely different than mine. But that’s why we read, right? To learn about people who are different from you.
Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst
This book was pitched to me as a fantasy book about a princess betrothed to a prince but she falls in love with his sister. It’s pretty good.
PS: Dear Mrs. Coulthurst, thank you for Chapter 34
10 Things I Can See From Here by Carrie Mac
A f/f story set in Vancouver about a girl with anxiety who goes to live with her dad and falls in love with a musician.
How to Make a Wish by Ashley Herring Blake
Like Sarah Dessen? You’ll love How to Make a Wish! It’s about a girl, who’s bisexual, who falls in love with a biracial dancer. It’s part love story, part mother-daughter story and super amazing and emotional!
History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera
Keep your tissues close. You’ll need them. Griffin’s ex-boyfriend, Theo, drowns and he’s left devastated. He grows close to Theo’s boyfriend, Jackson, who is one of the few people who knows what he’s going through.
We Are Okay by Nina LaCour
Speaking of tissues, you’ll also need them for Nina LaCour’s latest YA/NA crossover. Marin is staying at school alone for Christmas holidays and her best friend Mabel comes to visit. It’s a tear jerker but also amazing and beautifully written.
The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli
I’m gonna cheat with this one because the main character isn’t queer. BUT she has two moms, they’re a biracial couple, her twin sister is a lesbian, and the sister’s girlfriend is pansexual. And her moms’ wedding is a big part of the plot. Great book to read during pride month!
Dreadnought by April Daniels
Superhero novel with a main character who’s transgender and a lesbian. I’ve read this and heard mixed reviews but for the most part, it’s a good book if you like superheroes.
The Better to Kiss You With by Michelle Osgood
This is a f/f story that I’m not entirely sure how to categorize. It’s part paranormal romance, part mystery/thriller, but could also be NA. The love interest is a butch lesbian who’s a werewolf!
Girl Mans Up by M-E Girard
Main character is a butch lesbian who comes from a traditional Portuguese family.
The Cursed Queen by Sarah Fine
If you’re a Clexa shipper, you’ll love The Cursed Queen. A fantasy novel with a bisexual main character who falls in love with her chieftain’s daughter. You can’t help but fall in love with Ansa and Thrya. And the best part? No dead queer girls!
Summary: Witch-blooded robber Bridget has made a reputation for herself in the capital city, but she's not interested in the attention of the Thieves' Guild--and she's not bothered by the rumors of urchin kidnappings, either. With winter coming, she's looking out for herself and no one else.
Until she picks the wrong pocket, and recognizes her estranged brother Teddy.
While spying on her brother, Bridget overhears a secret meeting that reveals a cruel plot. After more than a decade apart, Theodor and Bridget must reunite to stop a traitor whose plan threatens not only their city, but the whole empire.
Review:
The Traitor’s Tunnel is a prequel novella to the world of C.M. Spivey’s From Under the Mountain. Within its pages, we get to know estranged siblings Bridget and Theodor, the POV characters, children of a powerful witch. Both of them have very different lives, resulting of the very different choices they made as kids, and I was really happy to see it so clearly in their voices.
I really adore Bridget, the sister who left the witch clan to explore her own path and found herself a thief in the big city, determined to be independent, which, for her, means not getting too attached to people and not needing their help. Her chapters were always very fun, and I thoroughly enjoyed her cynicism and witty remarks. She’s been through a lot, and you can tell. I especially enjoyed her relationship with Keaton, and how she slowly comes to terms with how much the other woman means to her.
Theodor, however, is my very favorite. He’s very passionate about his craft and, more importantly, about using it for the good of all people. He’s relationship with long-time partner Leander is so soft and sweet, they obviously support one another a lot and even in the limited amount of pages we go to see them together, they really did show that they’d been together for a long time, and that their feelings ran deep. Theodor’s relationship with his master and mentor, how conflicted he felt about what he had to do, how he’d always believe the best in people, really made up this character for me. The way, for exemple, in which Theodor takes care not to assume people’s pronouns, will really stay with me. Teddy will always be dear to my heart, honestly.
For about two thirds of this novella you get the impression that nothing much is happening, but it’s only after the plot twist is revealed that you realise how much all the small things woven throughout the first chapters matters. The worldbuilding never feels like the characters ranting or preaching to you, which I loved, and all the characters, even the villains, felt complex. By the end of the novella I truly felt like I understood those characters, their motivations and their world.
I really enjoyed this novella a lot, especially the last few, fast paced and action-packed chapters, and it made me immediately buy the first book in the series. I definitely recommend it for anyone looking for a fun new fantasy world with lots of diversity!
I was very kindly provided with a copy of this novella by the author in exchange for an honest review. All the opinions are mine.
jacobvanloon
kianamaiart
izzy806
