#molly ringle

[pithia]

[S]he was becoming distilled, concentrated to an essence of wild strength.

—from The Goblins of Bellwater by Molly Ringle

[pithia]

Something gave way inside her. The scrap of humanity she'd been clinging to now seemed about as inconsequential as a dead leaf. She relaxed her grip and let it fall.

—from The Goblins of Bellwater by Molly Ringle

[pithia]

[She] stared at the blank white journal page as if challenging it to a duel from which only one of them would emerge alive.

—from The Goblins of Bellwater by Molly Ringle

[transbookoftheday]

The Quicksand Theatre Company by Molly Ringle

A swoony, slow-burn, cozy, queer romantic fantasy of runaway secrets, fae bargains, and sequins in the spotlight. A standalone third book set in the same world as Lava Red Feather Blue and Ballad for Jasmine Town.

When Vai Delvecchio leaves their home in the night, fleeing a family scandal, they knock on the door of the least likely but most alluring of sanctuaries: the traveling Quicksand Theatre Company. Actor Leo Takahashi—a.k.a. Leonidas the Obstreperous—grants Vai a bed in his caravan in exchange for Vai’s magical assistance in theatrical productions. Vai finds their respectable, dignified life transformed into a whimsical world of sequins, makeup, and irreverent comedy sketches.

In the caravan’s close quarters, it’s inevitable that Leo and Vai grow curious about each other, a feeling that blossoms into mutual desire. But trouble waits in the wings. Vai has to face the fallout of their family’s mistakes, and Leo guards a somber secret: soon, an unbreakable deal he made with a malevolent faery will take effect, destroying his freedom and potentially his life.

Yet it may be in the darkest lairs of the fae realm, and in the painful longing of separation, that Vai and Leo each find the truth that makes them whole again.

[gealach-in-a-misty-world]

Review: Sage and King, by Molly Ringle

Zaya expected to be the irresponsible youngest prince his whole life. But when his two older siblings are killed by an unidentified magician

Zaya expected to be the irresponsible youngest prince his whole life. But when his two older siblings are killed by an unidentified magician, he finds himself crowned king of Lushrain—the end of his liberty as he knows it. As part of his training, he’s sent to Heartwood for a month, the house of the sages high in the mountains. There, to his shock, the sages tell him he must learn about magic—which is illegal to practice, but has nonetheless been among Heartwood’s secret studies for centuries.They assign Col as his tutor, a charming young sage with unusually strong powers. Zaya abhors and distrusts magic, and Col absolutely doesn’t want the job of attempting to change the king’s mind. But in their lessons and debates, they grow closer and begin envisioning a future in which a sage and a king might make a harmonious couple. But the assassin still roams, seeking to hurt Zaya, and the budding love affair may be crushed by the secrets that Heartwood—and Col—have kept about this killer.

"It's sweet that you think I travel in polite society." 

Molly Ringle's Sage and King is a charming romantasy novella that the author identifies as originally having been a BBC Merlin fanfiction. Having never watched the show, I don't know how much it captures the dynamic, but I can say that it stands well enough on its own, with a delightfully banter-y dual POV and many sweet moments between the main characters.

Their mutual attraction happens pretty much instantly, which is pretty normal given the length of the medium, but the author makes up for it with an intense focus on their honeymoon period and a deft handling of the many secrets threatening to end their relationship before it properly starts. The conflict, although it resolves pretty quickly, feels believable and the resolution earned.

The King's brother would have benefited from some more focus, to show how truly dangerous and disturbed he is; he feels very child-like in his moods, and the sudden addition of a terrible crime towards the end doesn't feel like it's handled very well.

The worldbuilding is basic but interesting, featuring a magic system based on plants. The book features many intriguing conversations on the topic as the sage instructs the king on the kind of magic they can do, and it doesn't feel like infodump, but like believable conversations.

Sage and King is a sweet treat.

✨ 3.5 stars

[centavebooks]

Hey book lovers, we're got a great up and coming queer fantasy for you!

Molly Ringle's The Quicksand Theatre Company is a slow-burn, cozy, queer romantasy, where fae bargains meet sequins and spotlights. A standalone third book set in the same world as Lava Red Feather Blue and Ballad for Jasmine Town, we think you'll love it if you love any of the comps shown here!

Check it out on our website!

[transbookoftheday]

Ballad for Jasmine Town by Molly Ringle

A law-abiding metalworking witch and a form-shifting half-fae musician embark on a secret romance, but soon become caught in escalating tensions between fae and humans that threaten their hometown. The second story after the popular Lava Red Feather Blue comes alive in Ballad for Jasmine Town.

The town of Miryoku has ocean views, fragrant jasmine vines, and a thriving arts scene, including a popular nineties cover band. It also sits on the verge, sharing a border with fae territory, a realm of both enchantments and dangers.

Rafi has been unusual all his life: a human born to a fae mother, a mortal denizen of the fae realm, a form-shifter. He aches to join the human world, but prejudices and legal tangles stand in his way. After the death of his beloved human grandmother at the careless hands of fae, his only connection to humans is the cover band he plays with—until he meets Roxana.

Roxana is a dutiful single parent and a metalworking witch specializing in healing charms. When she meets Rafi one summer night and repairs an instrument string for him, they strike up a friendship that soon kindles into love. But she’s moving away from Miryoku at summer’s end, and Rafi must stay, determined to stop the fae who keep hurting townsfolk. Together, Roxana and Rafi formulate an idea that might tame the most dangerous offenders—or might only accelerate the doom of their hometown.

[haveyoureadthisqueerbook]

Have you read Lava Red Feather Blue by Molly Ringle (2021)?

YES

NO

Voting ended onMay 22, 2024