Thank you to Wednesday Books for sharing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
He saw the darkness in her magic. She saw the magic in his darkness. Wren Southerland’s reckless use of magic has cost her everything: she’s been dismissed from the Queen’s Guard and separated from her best friend—the girl she loves. So when a letter arrives from a reclusive lord, asking Wren to come to his estate, Colwick Hall, to cure his servant from a mysterious illness, she seizes her chance to redeem herself. The mansion is crumbling, icy winds haunt the caved-in halls, and her eccentric host forbids her from leaving her room after dark. Worse, Wren’s patient isn’t a servant at all but Hal Cavendish, the infamous Reaper of Vesria and her kingdom’s sworn enemy. Hal also came to Colwick Hall for redemption, but the secrets in the estate may lead to both of their deaths. With sinister forces at work, Wren and Hal realize they’ll have to join together if they have any hope of saving their kingdoms. But as Wren circles closer to the nefarious truth behind Hal’s illness, they realize they have no escape from the monsters within the mansion. All they have is each other, and a startling desire that could be their downfall. Allison Saft’s Down Comes the Night is a snow-drenched romantic fantasy that keeps you racing through the pages long into the night. Love makes monsters of us all. This gothic medical fantasy novel set in a creepy castle lives rent-free in my mind most days, and it's bound to be one of 2021's hottest releases. It features on my upcoming list of queer reads, too! Delighted to see a bisexual main character in a fantasy novel (and her initial love interest is a lesbian!) because that's a rare treat. The bisexual rep is really well-done. Wren isn't a token character, and her sexuality isn't used as a cheap trick or capitalized on for marketing's sake. She has real heartbreak and love, where her queerness doesn't have to be questioned at every turn to still be real and part of her. We also love a fantasy world without homophobia. This is what we mean when we say not all fantasy has to be grimdark and "reflect the real world"! Books can examine societal problems without harming readers! Wren and Hal are literally enemies--their countries are fighting a war, and they're both soldiers. The romantic tension? Immaculate. Especially when they're forced to work together to find out the secret behind Hal's illness, a truth more sinister than they could have expected. These two drove the novel for me. Stuck inside a castle with your mortal enemy is such a vibe, after all. Even through all of this, I couldn't help but ship them. They get to know each other while Wren is working through the illness, and there's heated banter, but also boundary testing and slow affection. I'm so so in love with their story. There's a significant murder mystery glossed over in the synopsis--it takes up quite a bit of the book, and although I sort of had a suspect in mind, it was the catching of the suspect that really engaged me. Wren and Hal are quite adept at elaborate plans, and stumble into some of my favorite tropes along the way: there's only one bed, sacrificing yourself, and secret midnight investigations. There's just something so attractive about working to find a murderer while trapped in a Gothic castle, right? Extraordinarily sexy. Thank you to the author for this gift. I shall treasure it forever. I was also into the medical aspect. Wren has healing magic, but also an extensive knowledge of the human body and regular medicine. She's clever but impulsive, and the blend of science and magic behind her character intrigued me. DCTN has some slightly gory moments, but none more than most high fantasy series. I appreciated the darker elements. This recent trend in YA really does it for me, as I've mostly had enough of fantasy that isn't willing to fully embody its principles. The worldbuilding is a bit basic beyond the war and political intrigue, but what really drew me in is how they're used to fuel the characters' motivations. Everyone's hiding something in this novel, and I had a grand time discovering all the small mysteries Saft locks in. It's definitely worth the read for all the small intricacies. 5/5 stars for a brilliantly written novel.
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Thank you to Wednesday Books for sharing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Eighteen-year-old Amelia Griffin is obsessed with the famous Orman Chronicles, written by the young and reclusive prodigy N. E. Endsley. They’re the books that brought her and her best friend Jenna together after Amelia’s father left and her family imploded. So when Amelia and Jenna get the opportunity to attend a book festival with Endsley in attendance, Amelia is ecstatic. It’s the perfect way to start off their last summer before college. In a heartbeat, everything goes horribly wrong. When Jenna gets a chance to meet the author and Amelia doesn’t, the two have a blowout fight like they’ve never experienced. And before Amelia has a chance to mend things, Jenna is killed in a freak car accident. Grief-stricken, and without her best friend to guide her, Amelia questions everything she had planned for the future. When a mysterious, rare edition of the Orman Chronicles arrives, Amelia is convinced that it somehow came from Jenna. Tracking the book to an obscure but enchanting bookstore in Michigan, Amelia is shocked to find herself face-to-face with the enigmatic and handsome N. E. Endsley himself, the reason for Amelia’s and Jenna’s fight and perhaps the clue to what Jenna wanted to tell her all along. It's so hard for me to review this book. After reading, I was just a blur of feelings and I couldn't pick them apart enough to write! Amelia Unabridged is a rare gem--a book about grief that isn't sad. There's tragedy, and some chapters were incredibly hard to read because of how much depth Amelia's relationship with Jenna had, but there's also so much light and hope for her journey. I think I've said this before but Wednesday is killing it with their 2021 season!! I'm so hyped for every title on their list. Death books always hit me differently, especially ones like Amelia's. She uses stories the same way I do--as a lifeline when everything else seems too much. Watching her find her way back to reading after Jenna's death, and grow into the person she wants to be apart from her friend is a true joy. Amelia and Jenna were closer to sisters than friends, but Amelia isn't sure she wants to follow through on the elaborate life plan Jenna had set out for her. She has to choose between staying loyal to Jenna's wishes and following a more uncertain path. I'd call Amelia Unabridged a mix of contemporary, recovery, coming of age, and romance. Altogether it's pretty perfect. Not gonna lie, a big attraction point of this book is the romance. Who doesn't love a good reclusive author? (Morgan Matson's The Unexpected Everything is one of my favorite books ever) N.E. Endsley is Amelia's favorite author, and when she gets to meet him, of course there ends up being more to the story. Their relationship is surprisingly healthy for two people who met during complex emotional circumstances--I was expecting a bit of codependency there and pleasantly surprised I didn't find it. They share some incredibly sweet moments that had me genuinely squealing, especially in the bookstore. Absurdly pleased by the magical bookstore setting! That always gets me, and I loved the concept of themed rooms in the store. I've made it my mission to visit as many bookstores as possible in my life, and though I love my local indies (shoutout Porter Square Books! I miss you!) I've yet to find one that captures a sense of storybook magic as well as the ones in... well... stories. If someone could just fly me to Michigan, I'd be more than happy to build A Measure of Prose for myself. How could I give Amelia Unabridged anything but five stars? Happy to say I've found one of my new favorite books of 2021. You should definitely pick up this new release--I promise no reader could regret it. Slow week for me--so many IRL projects to work on and not enough time to spend online! The time I have had, though, I've used to rewatch Doctor Who and Psych. I like to watch a bit of tv while I'm working, so I'm currently writing this post to Doctor Who s1e8, which I find especially devastating. I've loved this show for around 7 years since I first discovered it, and I finally have access to all seasons on one platform for my rewatch. My favorite companion is Donna Noble--I just think she's hilarious.
In other news... not much. I'm very tired this week--there are a few appointments I need to gather energy for, and I'm leaning a lot on my guilty pleasure worlds this week and slowing up on original fiction. I've lost regular contact with a couple people who used to be part of my daily life and that's been hard on me. I'm hoping to have a few small moments of connection later this week, but I'm very much an introvert and feeling drained right now. Thank you to Nyx Publishing for sending me a copy in exchange for my honest review.
A lyrical and dreamy reimagining of Dracula’s brides, A DOWRY OF BLOOD is a story of desire, obsession, and emancipation. Saved from the brink of death by a mysterious stranger, Constanta is transformed from a medieval peasant into a bride fit for an undying king. But when Dracula draws a cunning aristocrat and a starving artist into his web of passion and deceit, Constanta realizes that her beloved is capable of terrible things. Finding comfort in the arms of her rival consorts, she begins to unravel their husband’s dark secrets. With the lives of everyone she loves on the line, Constanta will have to choose between her own freedom and her love for her husband. But bonds forged by blood can only be broken by death. Utterly intoxicating. I'm so in love with Gibson's world of vampires and toxic relationships that spanned bloody centuries. Small note before the review: this is an adult novel, so there are elements of violence and 18+ material not suited for younger readers. Please be aware before buying. Constanta's account is so readable, despite being written in the second person. I typically don't like this tense, but Gibson uses it as a narrative tool to empower Constanta against her vampiric sire--a choice that delights me (but one I will ignore in this review for the sake of brevity). This book sucked me in (lol) and I spent an afternoon embroiled in the life that she and her murderous husband built across Europe. The character building is exquisite. Constanta has relationships with Magdalena and Alexi besides Dracula, and differs in her treatment of both. They're part of a queer polycule, something I've rarely seen in books. There's not much plot, except to tell the story of their shared lives and how Constanta's little family comes to be sick of Dracula's abuse over time (and what they choose to do about it). We all need a little quiet book now and again, and A Dowry of Blood delivers on that. Constanta's narration covers their outings, life in different cities, and some small effects being a vampire has on her body. The most present element is Dracula's abuse. He draws Constanta in with the promise of forever, then belittles her slowly until she breaks. This novel is about strength in the best of ways--how she pulls herself together and becomes a sort of protector for Magdalena and Alexi despite Dracula's tight leash on them all. I loved this--getting to see her come into herself in a world so different than the village she grew up in, and figure out what kind of person she has the power to be. This isn't a "girlboss" novel, but it has similar notes of reveling in an ability to change one's circumstances, and I found Constanta to be one of the most capable protagonists I've ever read. I'm not sure I could ever withstand her history, but she is uniquely able. I'd love a sequel about her life in the future--this is one of the few standalones for which I wish to read more. I would highly recommend A Dowry of Blood to get your fix of vampire books, especially if you loved the Vampires Never Get Old anthology (review here)! 5/5 stars to this bloody masterpiece. Thank you to Balzer + Bray for sharing an ARC in exchange for my honest review! Obtained through my role as an organizer for Book Terminal Tours.
Cerys is safe in the kingdom of Aloriya. Here there are no droughts, disease, or famine, and peace is everlasting. It has been this way for hundreds of years, since the first king made a bargain with the Lady who ruled the forest that borders the kingdom. But as Aloriya prospered, the woods grew dark, cursed, and forbidden. Cerys knows this all too well: when she was young, she barely escaped as the woods killed her friends and her mother. Now Cerys carries a small bit of the curse—the magic—in her blood, a reminder of the day she lost everything. The most danger she faces now, as a gardener’s daughter, is the annoying fox who stalks the royal gardens and won’t leave her alone. As a new queen is crowned, however, things long hidden in the woods descend on the kingdom itself. Cerys is forced on the run, her only companions the small fox from the garden, a strange and powerful bear, and the magic in her veins. It’s up to her to find the legendary Lady of the Wilds and beg for a way to save her home. But the road is darker and more dangerous than she knows, and as secrets from the past are uncovered amid the teeth and roots of the forest, it’s going to take everything she has just to survive. Among the Beasts and Briars is Ashley Poston's foray into high fantasy. With a darkly whimsical magical forest, a gardening girl with special powers, and plenty of enchanted beings to populate the world, the entire novel feels like a fairy tale. Honestly, this book could be a whole new tale unto itself. I liked the atmosphere best of all--Cerys has to undertake a quest through a forbidden forest to reach a legendary city, and her wonder at the monstrous creatures that inhabit it (the forest) and the people she meets there (the city) really engages the reader in her world. The pacing took a bit of time to get used too, but the ending didn't feel too rushed so in hindsight I didn't mind Cerys's long journey. The rules are simple to grasp, even as Cerys questions everything she's known about her kingdom. Everyone loves a good magical forest, and ATBAB certainly serves up. The woodcurse lives in Cerys's magic, which is certainly cool, but of course there are corrupted beings to fight and magic bears and foxes to provide interest. I can't say much about the romance for fear of spoiling the book--on this site I typically don't discuss much past the plot summary--but I will tell you that it's adorable and perfect for Cerys. You're going to guess what the big secret is, but you might not mind as much as me. They do wrong by each other sometimes, but always come back to fix it. That's commitment. That's trust. That's love. I guess... in the middle of all the dark fantasy and upper YA I've been reading recently, ATBAB just felt a little bit easy to me. I clocked the big plot twist about halfway through, and the prose wasn't as complex as I would have liked. I don't mean that in an entirely bad way, though. Sometimes it's nice to read a book you don't have to think so much about. It was a great afternoon read, and escaping to Aloriya is quite satisfying after all. I'm giving Among the Beasts and Briars 4/5 stars. I got a physical copy as part of my November Owlcrate box, and I really enjoyed the whole theme. Whether you did the same or picked it up from your local library or bookstore, the universe put this book in your path for a reason and you shouldn't ignore that. Thank you to Wednesday Books for sharing a copy in exchange for my honest review.
A new love, a secret sister, and a summer she'll never forget. From the beloved author of Tweet Cute comes Emma Lord's You Have a Match, a hilarious and heartfelt novel of romance, sisterhood, and friendship... When Abby signs up for a DNA service, it’s mainly to give her friend and secret love interest, Leo, a nudge. After all, she knows who she is already: Avid photographer. Injury-prone tree climber. Best friend to Leo and Connie…although ever since the B.E.I. (Big Embarrassing Incident) with Leo, things have been awkward on that front. But she didn’t know she’s a younger sister. When the DNA service reveals Abby has a secret sister, shimmery-haired Instagram star Savannah Tully, it’s hard to believe they’re from the same planet, never mind the same parents — especially considering Savannah, queen of green smoothies, is only a year and a half older than Abby herself. The logical course of action? Meet up at summer camp (obviously) and figure out why Abby’s parents gave Savvy up for adoption. But there are complications: Savvy is a rigid rule-follower and total narc. Leo is the camp’s co-chef, putting Abby's growing feelings for him on blast. And her parents have a secret that threatens to unravel everything. But part of life is showing up, leaning in, and learning to fit all your awkward pieces together. Because sometimes, the hardest things can also be the best ones. Emma Lord always manages to surprise me in the best ways. She's definitely making a splash in the contemporary world. You all know how much I loved Tweet Cute--You Have a Match is of a slightly different energy but brings Lord's signature humor and heart to the table. I started out so concerned that Abby and the risks she takes would give me secondhand embarrassment, but by the end I was *definitely not* crying. YHAM is a bit less of a rom-com than I was expecting--the core of the story is Abby's relationship with Savvy. We see both of them learn how to be sisters, and the various insecurities they mask. It's a coming of age story in all the best ways, and doesn't pull out the absent parent trope! Family (twisted as it might be) plays a big part in the story, with Abby's and Savvy's parents both obviously being part of the network of secrets keeping them apart. With Abby as first-person narrator, her character development was my favorite part of the book. There were moments in which I identified quite strongly with the emotions she had about feeling imperfect and comparing herself to others. Gotta admit, I'm an only so I don't understand the sibling angst, but I sure did feel rather empathetic towards Abby. We can talk a little bit about the romance between Leo and Abby, which is a childhood-friends-to-lovers thing that I adored. Them knowing each other so well and being willing to do anything for the other is a selling point, and all the miscommunication drives up tension in a very frustrating way. Abby and Leo (no easy ship name for them, unlike the iconic PepperJack) are so easy to root for. I'm sure you'll love them as much as I do. This is one of the first books I've read from 2021 catalogs and I highly recommend it. Emma Lord continues to knock it out of the park with her books and she's absolutely an auto-buy author for me. 5/5 stars. Hi all! Beneath the Crimson Willow by Martin Niewood came out on January 12th, and I'd love to share an excerpt of it with you today. Hit the read more button below for the full text, and read the synopsis below to see if you'd like to find out more. Life on the run has been hard for Violet Noone and her family, and it's about to get harder. While pursued by the authorities and the Marked, a secret organization focused on revenge, Violet is approached by a mysterious stranger. She is blackmailed into solving the brutal murder of Georgina Givens, a victim of the poisonous compound, Unelse. The investigation reveals that religious, political, and corporate forces might be at play, although Violet can't rule out the possibility that Georgina's husband, Leonard, may be the murderer. Georgina and her husband were no strangers to criminal schemes and Violet quickly uncovers the connection between the theft of valuable intelligence and Georgina's death. Pursuing each lead, Violet slips deeper into a world of conspiracy and lies and learns she can trust no one. Beset by their own demons, her family is unable to support her, forcing a seventeen-year-old Violet to accept unwelcomed truths about herself and face challenges well beyond her years. This time, Violet is on her own. With her enemies closing in, she must unravel the mystery, retrieve the intelligence, and solve the murder. But can she do it before the Marked find her? Although outwardly ordinary, this house was filled with secrets. The mounted security cameras around the property were concealed in such a way that casual observers might not spot them. A thick layer of decaying leaves covered the ground, and the surrounding trees isolated the home from others in the neighborhood. Stepping over a metal hose, as we made our way to the back of the property, I followed Leonard’s movements carefully, recalling his previous disclosures about various snares. I spotted a small but explosive anti-personnel mine intended to deter intruders as we passed through the gate.
Reaching the back door, Leonard swiped his band. Generally, a single swipe would allow access to one’s private residence, but Leonard and Georgina had installed a secondary security system involving an alpha-numeric code and an electronic keypad. Leonard tapped the buttons and the door clicked open. Turning the knob, we stood in a large but unimpressive kitchen. From our vantage point we could see most of the first floor. The kitchen led into a dining room and a small entry hall for the front door. Immediately to the left of the hall, was the living room and behind it a single bedroom and bath. Leonard and Georgina were either not good at their chosen profession or they hid their money elsewhere. One thing was certain, their ill-gotten gains were not spent on their home. I spent a good portion of last week hyperfixating on my bookshop.org shop! (more info on my affiliate status in sidebar) I love creating super-specific book lists, some of which match my recommendation sets and some of which are unique to the shop page--rec lists are the most time consuming to create because of my website's drag and drop, templateless interface, so it's nice to have an alternate method for curating them. I can also whip up new lists quickly if anyone asks for recs, rather than having to wait for an opening in my post schedule (if you want a list, drop your ideas in the comments!)
Here are some of my most recent galleries, and if you head over to the shop, you can catch previews of my folklore and evermore track matches which will be posted in coming weeks! I first promised those in my Taylor Swift album analysis post, and I'm so excited to finally deliver on that promise. Amongst the three linked below and others, I also have Influencer YA, Sports YA, my favorite fantasy novels, favorite romance novels, the books I'm ordering next, and my work-in-progress anticipated queer YA of 2021! I'd love if you'd check out my page and support the authors/titles I've featured. This also helps me, as bookshop kicks me a 10% commission from their profits on every purchase. I love running this blog, but it's been 5 years of absolutely free labor and I'm starting to want some expenses taken care of! Hi all! The Book Terminal Tours team is so excited to kick off our blog tour for Curse of the Divine! We're featuring a slate of amazing bloggers and bookstagrammers, so be sure to head over to the tour schedule for links to their posts throughout the week! Auburn, Samantha, and I cannot wait to share this amazing tour with you. I've attached the list of our bloggers, but again, check back at the official tour schedule for updated links every day! Return to the world of inklings, tattoo magic, and evil deities as Celia uncovers the secrets of the ink in order to stop Diavala once and for all. This eagerly anticipated sequel to Ink in the Blood is perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Wicked Saints. Celia Sand faced Diavala and won, using ink magic to destroy the corrupt religion of Profeta that tormented her for a decade. But winning came with a cost. Now Celia is plagued with guilt over her role in the death of her best friend. When she discovers that Diavala is still very much alive and threatening Griffin, the now-infamous plague doctor, Celia is desperate not to lose another person she loves to the deity’s wrath. The key to destroying Diavala may lie with Halycon Ronnea, the only other person to have faced Diavala and survived. But Halcyon is dangerous and has secrets of his own, ones that involve the ink that Celia has come to hate. Forced to choose between the ink and Diavala, Celia will do whatever it takes to save Griffin—even if it means making a deal with the devil himself. Goodreads Barnes & Noble IndieBound Bloggers
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The BaronessHey, I'm Shreya! I love to read, write, travel, and drink tea. Disclosure: I am an affiliate of bookshop.org and I will earn a small commission if you click the above link and make a purchase.
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