Danielle

Can I say I loved this book because it was just a lot of fun? I hope so! I usually reserve my 5 stars for books that put me through all the emotions: laughter, crying, and being moved deeply by something in the story. I wouldn't say that this book did that entirely, but it was just such a fun romp of an adventure which I enjoyed very much and walked away highly entertained.
I also think that there are a few unique things in this book that I haven't really come across in the fantasy genre, but highly appreciated and felt like a breath of fresh air. Amina herself is a middle-aged woman, mother, and past the years of her youthful exploits. As someone who just turned 40, it was awesome to see an older woman represented as the main protagonist and highly relatable in a lot of ways. I loved the exploration of her internal conflict between her responsibilities as a mother and wanting to pursue a life that she loves outside of that role or how to balance the two. While the circumstances are fantastical, I think that is a very relatable conflict for many.
I also appreciated the inclusion of the Muslim faith in the story. A lot of fantasy deals with made-up religion to make a point or just as part of the make-up of the world, but there isn't a lot that I've read that includes an existing faith and how someone who is trying to follow that faith would integrate that into their decisions or thought process. While I don't share this faith, it is so rare to see it included in this way, that I felt it was a welcome difference.
Overall, I just enjoyed the ride of it all. It reminded me of the fun and adventure I felt when I first went to see POTC in the theatre, the mix of quest, mystery, magic, and mayhem you encounter and never sure what is coming next, but you're highly entertained. While I loved Amina as a character, many of the side characters were also a joy. I can't wait to see where Amina's adventures take her next!

I absolutely loved The Book That Wouldn't Burn and finding out that there were a couple of short stories based in the same world....or worlds....was exciting, although I had reservations that they could capture the same magic that the large tome of the first book had. No need to worry though! In 12,000 words Mark Lawrence not only conjures that same magic, but expands upon it and gives a heartfelt ode to stories, books, and the power of the written word too. I loved it and was happy to see some familiar faces appear. Definitely worth a read if you loved BTWB!

T. Kingfisher's fantasy/fairytale stories have a dark, earthy, and folkloric overtone to them that I always seem to enjoy. While I usually favor lyrical writing, T. Kingfisher's writing leans more toward sparse and straightforward but still manages to imbue a sense of the mystical and magical. The Raven and the Reindeer is her re-telling of Hans Christian Anderson's The Snow Queen, but there is an old-world and darker edge to her telling which makes it feel more gritty and honestly more interesting. It is a short novel so there isn't a real deep dive into characters or massive world-building, but even in the sparse time she has, Kingfisher creates characters I enjoyed going on the journey with and glimpses of a fascinating supernatural world just beyond the realm of our own. I enjoy her female characters a lot in the books I've read. They aren't your typical hero type, and Gerta in this story is a great addition to the pantheon. She isn't the smartest, is plain, short, and plump, but her determination and her growth along the journey are admirable and I liked her from the get go. I also highly enjoy the odd side characters in Kingfisher's books, like the bone dog in Nettle & Bone or the Raven called Mousebones in this one. They are often odd, quirky and fun. Despite it being a darker telling, there is surprisingly a lot of humor, thanks a lot to Mousebones' commentary. While I think Nettle & Bone and Thornhedge are still my favorite Kingfisher novels that I've read so far, The Raven and the Reindeer was still a really good read and I enjoyed it a lot. It's a great short read and perfect for a dark, cold winter evening.

I really wanted to like this one. The premise and the ideas behind the story are very good and totally up my alley, but I just couldn't get past the poor writing, clunky dialogue, meandering story, or connect with the characters at all. The pacing was all over the place, it felt so jilted and just didn't flow nicely. One minute it feels like we're gearing up for some sort of climax and then it's interrupted by some side story, only to come back to the main climax, which never really amounts to anything. And this happens multiple times. The characters would say they had a plan on what to do next, then explain one thing they planned and when questioned what was going to happen after that, say they haven't thought that far ahead. Again, this happens multiple times. I had a hard time understanding the characters actions or motivations, in a lot of cases and it was actually frustrating me to the point I was ready to give up at multiple points! Mild spoiler: Cassie our main character at one point is given an extra 10 years of time, and what does she do with it? Learn to fight? Find out more information about the situation she's in? Do literally ANYTHING? No. She reads books....and reminisces....she does nothing to prepare herself for what's coming and it just.....frustrated me. She was useless throughout the whole book. You never really dive into anyone's head, there are so many POV's but not enough time with any of them to get to know the characters, so I just....didn't care. The villains were cartoony villains with no nuance or layers. They were evil because they are ‘evil'. The dialogue felt like it was for a younger audience at times. Until it wasn't. Then it was downright offensive. I'm honestly surprised I finished the book at all. I am also surprised by how many amazing reviews it has, it really is not well-written and needs some major editorial help. I feel bad giving it such a bad review, as I think the ‘idea' of the story could have been amazing, but the execution of it was terrible. I would not compare this to The Midnight Library or The Ten Thousand Doors of January - both favourite books of mine - while the story might appeal to those who liked those books, it isn't even a shadow of either of them.

Dawnshard is a short story or novella based in the Stormlight Archive world and reading it felt like coming back home - I just love this world! The Stormlight Archive series is one of my all-time favourite series of books and this little side quest between books 3 & 4 brings all the things I love, albeit in mini-form, and manages to fill out some side characters from the main series along the way. First, out the gate, I'll say this isn't a standalone story. While it will give you a taste of Sanderson's world, it won't make a whole lot of sense on its own if you haven't read the main series. While I would recommend other Sanderson novellas that could be read on their own merit, this isn't one of them. But if you're already immersed in the series, this is a MUST read! Lopen and Rysn join forces on a seafaring voyage for reasons both personal and on behalf of others looking for answers regarding a mysterious island where myth has it an ancient civilization existed. Let the adventure, humor, and fantastical happenings ensue! Not only do we get a fun story, but also a lot of insight into Lopen, Rysn, and other side characters, which I think will enrich them overall going forward in the series. Besides Sanderson's world-building and the characters that have wormed their way into my heart, the thing I love the most about his writing is the positive outlook he imbues in his characters and throughout the stories he tells and I find it so encouraging and inspiring. Even in this short foray, I found my heart swelling at certain points and found gems to take with me after I finished reading. While I don't think the story completely blew me away, it was a comfort read return to the world I love, and an expansion of many of the pieces we're still learning about it. There are a few surprising reveals that could have HUGE implications to come and this book makes me excited to see where it all leads!

I'm 100% here because this is derived from BTS and HYBE, but stayed for the ride because it's actually pretty decent and entertaining. Story wise this doesn't really do anything unique or break the wheel in any way, but if you enjoy this type of story like I do you'll probably be pleased by it. I think one of the best things it has going for it is the artwork, it's really, really well done and I love the style. As it's the first volume there's a lot of ground work to lay down about the world and fantasy elements, so we don't really get to see much character stuff, but it sets the stage nicely for things to come. Colour me intrigued enough to keep reading and looking forward to the next volume!

This is definitely much more aimed at teenagers and as an adult I found it a bit too much so to really enjoy it. I wanted to like it much more than I actually did. I really like Tomorrow x Together's lore and I guess I expected more of the earlier stuff from their albums than a story about magical K-Pop idols. I found the dialogue clunky and wasn't a huge fan of artwork either. It was hard to tell characters apart and seemed simple through a lot of it. The story wasn't gripping either and felt lacklustre considering the premise invited a lot more could be done with it. I think teenagers will like this though and maybe that's more the target, although I think really well done storytelling can appeal to both. Not sure I'll keep reading the series, just didn't really do it for me. I much preferred BTS' Chakho to this for sure.

Prequels are tricky things. I think in recent years we've all watched beloved stories receive lackluster prequels in either movie or book form and it doesn't always add a lot or in some cases detracts from it. It would be fair to say that I, along with many others, am now more skeptical about them. In my opinion, though, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, while maybe not necessary to the overall story, was still really good and did a satisfying job of taking me back to the world of Panem in all its rather dismal dystopian future. After a very long string of YA books that just didn't seem all that good, this book brought me back to a time when I still enjoyed them and they were less formulaic.
Unusual for me, I had watched the movie before reading the book, so my perspective may be slightly skewed because of that, and I may look more favorably on the book than others who read it first.
I do recommend reading the original trilogy first, this one will be more impactful I think with that background.
I rather enjoyed going back decades before the events of the original trilogy, which starts putting that story into a different perspective and it was interesting to see how the games evolved, and in direct relation to characters' experiences in this novel. I'm definitely feeling the urge to go back and re-read the Hunger Games trilogy.
The technology of the original trilogy doesn't exist yet and much of Panem is being rebuilt after the war which ended only about 10 years previous to this. The Hunger Games themselves are in their infancy and look nothing like the technological nightmare of the future, but still at its center is the brutish concept of children killing children to atone for a rebel war.
Into this we follow Coriolanus Snow, future antagonist and President in Katniss time, during his teen years. With a family that has fallen on hard times due to the war, but holding on with a prestigious name, he hopes to work his way back up to a life of power, riches, and prestige. Opportunity knocks when The Capitol decides to involve the students of his Academy as mentors to the District tributes in The Hunger Games and have a chance to make a name for themselves while also boosting the viewership of the Games.
At its core, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a character study more than the heart-pounding action story of the original trilogy. This isn't a redemptive arc story, nor a sympathizing one with the villain, which seems to be the trend today in other YA. My first impression was how much more unlikable Coriolanus is in the book than in the movie. Since the book is exclusively from his POV, you're much more inside his head and can see how self-serving, conceited, egotistical, and pretentious he is as a person. Everything he does is to serve or better himself.
While at times I could understand his motivations due to his circumstances and found myself hoping each time he'd make better choices, it always fell back on his inherent nature to look out for himself, even at the detriment of those closest to him. While he always thinks his motivations are just or that he has no choice but to do the conniving things he does, as the reader you realize how truly broken and evil he is at the core. Especially when he's given multiple chances to redeem himself or to choose other paths but continues to choose to put himself and his betterment ahead of others. I think the brilliance of Suzanne Collins writing was being able to make you still want to follow his story knowing this.
It would be tempting to make it about how the world and circumstances shaped him into that type of person, but Collins doesn't do that. This story's strength is in showing not how Coriolanus got to be the villain, but rather that he is inherently reprehensible and diabolical from the beginning.
On the flip side of Coriolanus is Lucy Grey Baird, the Tribute assigned to him, and a member of a gypsy-like group called the Covey. Her charisma, mystery, brashness, and determination make you want to root for her and see her through this nightmare, even though you never get to see the story from her perspective. She lends Coriolanus a sympathy he doesn't deserve but keeps you hoping he will for her sake.
The use of music and ballads of the Covey culture was also a fantastic addition. If you're paying attention there is much foreshadowing and tidbits of information tucked away in the songs.
I do think the book dragged on in a few places and was drawn out longer than necessary. I found the tediousness of some of the Hunger Games, which aren't followed with the same televised precision as they are in the original trilogy, tend to stall the story. Since we're watching from Coriolanus's perspective and not Lucy Grey's the sense of impending danger and death seemed diminished. Coriolanus eats and sleeps and goes back home in the evenings while basically nothing happens in the Games and I found my interest waning and not feeling the intensity I expected. I guess the point is all the macabre machinations behind the scenes, but it halts the progression in some places. The third part picks up again as an unexpected turn of events heads the story in a completely different direction which was an unanticipated and welcome surprise.
A lot of the moral questions asked in the original trilogy hold up here as well, and new ones present themselves to give you a lot to chew over. To say I enjoyed this book seems on some level to be wrong considering its premise and perspective. Like a car wreck on the side of the road though, you feel drawn to see and watch it. I think what I ‘enjoy' is the thoughts it engages to understand more about why the Hunger Games exist, what type of world would allow them to exist, and what type of people see them as just and needed. This book explores that a bit more and I found myself compelled by that exploration through Coriolanus Snow's story and it made for a really good tale in the end.
While not perfect, I do think this is one of the best YA books I've read in a really long time. It's brutal, don't get me wrong, and it's not light, pleasurable reading in the sense of making you feel good inside. It is a thoughtful exploration of morality, war, of governance and truly makes you think what you'd do in similar circumstances or even what lengths you'd go for yourself, others and to create the future world you'd like to see. While it still manages to be entertaining to read, I think it rises above a lot of other YA by inviting a thoughtful reading experience.

I absolutely adored Divine Rivals, the first book in the Letters of Enchantment duology, when I read it last year. After a lot of letdowns in 2023, Divine Rivals helped reinvigorate my reading passion and became one of my favorites in the end. So, I was incredibly excited about this second book and the conclusion of the story. I feel like Ruthless Vows, however, didn't quite create the same magic though. I enjoyed it and still found myself looking forward to reading it every day, the world and characters Rebecca Ross created still pulled me in, but the elements that made Divine Rivals so delightful fell rather flat the second time around. The banter between Iris and Roman, the sumptuously written letters, and the found family feel of Marisol's place were all missing, in fact, many of the side characters from Divine Rivals barely made an appearance at all. Ross seemed to boost the world-building at the cost of the simpler charm she created without it in the first book, which might have worked out if the world-building was well done, but it also felt lacking. There was a base for some really good mythical storytelling regarding the gods, but that never really materialized. Dacre was a boring, decidedly not frightening character. Enva was elusive and the motivations of both were never really explored or even really clear. It could have been a story steeped in ancient magic and powerful, frightening beings loosed on the world with high stakes and epic implications, but it wasn't fleshed out enough to get there. I think my enjoyment stemmed a lot from what was originally created in Divine Rivals and I still cared and liked Iris and Roman and wanted to continue following their story, but as I look back now I'm finished, I find that the conclusion just didn't elicit the same emotion, delight, or enjoyment and it makes me a bit sad as I feel it had a lot of potential to be better. I didn't hate it and I think the duology is still worth reading. Ross created a unique fantasy/romance story and I appreciate her bold foray into crafting something different which captivated me, even if I felt like the second book didn't live up to my expectations.

This book is written in quite a simple way, and yet I found myself marking quotes a lot while reading it, so while simple in its telling, it manages to evoke quite a profound emotion and say a lot of very eloquent and consequential things that surprisingly touched me deeply.
The core of the book surrounds a phone booth in Japan, which actually does exist, although this book is fictional. It isn't a working phone but has become a sort of therapeutic and spiritual pilgrimage spot for those who have lost loved ones, most especially those who lost people during the March 2011 tsunami. It symbolically stands as a way to speak with those who have passed away. So, it's really not about a phone booth at all, but rather about the process of grief and how one small, unusual thing can become a crux for that process.
Our two main protagonists have both lost loved ones, Yui in particular lost her mother and daughter in the tsunami and we follow her mostly as she hears about and travels to the “Wind Phone” and the subsequent months and years that follow that pilgrimage with many more journey's both outward and inward as she meets others on their own personal journey of grief and how the phone and those people allow her the space and insight to find a way to deal with her own.
While the story's focus is on death, Messina handles it with grace and imbues it with hope and a light at the end of the tunnel. It doesn't give false platitudes or toxic positivity to convey its message though, but rather a very balanced outlook on embracing both the good and bad of life, the joy and sorrow, the triumphs, and the pitfalls, and how one does not necessarily have to overshadow the other, but rather how they are part of each other and how it can still lead to a good place.
The structure of the book may be difficult for some to get through. It doesn't grab you right away and the story isn't bursting with lyrical writing or fast-paced action, but is rather a slow exploration of the human experience of loss – both its heart-wrenching tragedy and its everyday mundaneness, those small everyday griefs very few speak about. I personally really enjoyed this approach and found it more profound for how it is told. I think it will stick with me for a long time.
I'll end with this quote, which while simple (fitting for the way this story is told), conveys a deep part of the story's premise:
“She had been wrong. It isn't just the best things that come to an end, but also the worst.”

What a powerful, but absolutely heart wrenching and heartbreaking book. We know that the atrocities during WW2 were numerous, but I think some stories are told much more frequently than others, some perspectives more prominent in the history books. Over the past few years I've been blessed with new friends of Filipino decent and even started listening to a Filipino music group, but realized recently I know basically nothing about the Philippines. It's history, culture and people are very unknown to me. So I decided to read some books by Filipino authors and about the Filipino experience. This one topped many lists of recommendations and it peaked my interest due to the time period and the premise of storytelling at its heart. I think what struck me most was how little the atrocities that took place in the Philippines are not part of our history books and how Holthe manages to bring it so vividly and starkly to the forefront in her novel. This isn't an easy read. The depravity of humanity is not shied from in her telling as she recounts the story from 3 very different perspectives, filling it with a much more rounded picture by doing this. It is then interspersed with fantastical tales the characters tell each other as they await their fate in the bunker. In true and superb storytelling fashion the tales are not only entertaining, but also filled with moral lessons which reflect the situation the characters find themselves in and helps them sort through their own thoughts, feelings and motivations. I loved her use of this in the story and it helped break up the very heavy and depressing elements of the reality happening in the main part. Tess Uriza Holthe tells a powerful tale of her people here, one I think needed to be voiced and one I recommend reading to understand a little more about the Filipino people and the history that has shaped who they are today. The characters are well written, humanly flawed and yet relatable. They bring an empathy to this dark time. A emotional, difficult and yet hopeful story, one that reminds us of the power of storytelling and community and culture.

I was absolutely fascinated by the premise of this book, the era it takes place in and the history and people who brought The Oxford English Dictionary into being. I love words and authors who use them so exquisitely in their stories, the more lyrical the better. So a book which takes a closer look into language as it was being collected for the dictionary and how it is defined and used and whether that shifts depending on being a woman or a man, rich or poor, high class or low class was right up my alley. The book excels in bringing this piece of history to life and questioning the gaps that it left in its wake. I felt like Williams was able to capture the atmosphere of the Scriptorium and printing presses so well that I was sure I could smell the ink and paper. As for the story, it starts out strong and I was delighted by Esme as a child growing up and learning and being intrigued and curious about words and it clips along, even without much action, at the start. But as the story progresses, you'll need more patience to get through it. It slows to a crawl, looses a bit of the charm young Esme had as a child (though I get that's somewhat the point), but the biggest hurdle of all is that it loses its emotional connection. For a book about how words can capture people and convey so much or so little, I felt it could be quite dry sometimes and seriously lacking in lyrical writing. I didn't feel a lot at some pretty major points in the story, including some devastating parts that should have had me bawling- it doesn't take much to make me cry and I just....didn't. Esme feels very distant and I lost my connection to her as the story progressed and it felt more like I was being told events, rather than living, breathing and feeling them. Some things happened so quickly that if you missed a page you'd completely miss a major piece. So while I highly, highly enjoyed what this book is about, what it tries to represent for those who didn't have a voice in the building of the dictionary and for bringing to light a rarely touched on subject, it didn't quite reach the heights of a ‘best' or ‘favourite' book, but I do still think it is worthy story and I'm glad I read it. The bookish girl in me was still able to find a treasure trove of delight in many aspects of it and a new appreciation for both the dictionary and for words.

I really, really enjoyed this! Although I couldn't relate to the cultural pieces in this slice of life graphic novel, I certainly understood and related to the career side. Which ended up being a two-fold bonus of a read. On one hand I have more empathy and insight into the Asian-American experience having read this and on the other I felt a certain kinship to their struggles and triumphs and uncertainty pertaining to their careers and life trajectory in general. Told with a lot of humour, down-to-earth, relatable themes and without glamorizing that period of time between Young Adulthood and Adulthood in an unrealistic way (as so many Hollywood films do), and it ends up so much more meaningful in the telling. While I may not have had the characters same experience, there was so much about it that echoed my own, that I more than once felt my heart squeeze in recognition of a thought or feeling they had. I appreciated the gritty, realistic side of the story without loosing its charm and humour which made it an enjoyable (not depressing) read. And such a positive view of female friendship too! Not to mention the love of books and the written word that permeates the whole thing, which I gravitate towards as well. The art is quirky, but well done and perfectly fits the story. I highly recommend this graphic novel! Honestly one of the best I've read in a long time. I laughed out loud, shed a tear and had a hard time putting it down once I started.

“The histories were dry, the fiction as if someone had pulled a still-beating heart from its cage of ribs and left it pulsing crimson on the page. Somehow the stories that never happened, ones that merely sprang from the dreaming of some long-dead author, were more true than the histories that might be found on the opposite shelf.”
I admit I've moved away from reading epic fantasy, my once favourite genre, over the last few years. Too many worlds similar to the ones I read before, rarely giving my imagination the excitement it craves and characters I don't connect with. I missed being swept up in a completely new world, discovering it along with the characters and being fascinated by its alienness and wonder, completely new. I was rarely finding that anymore...until this book! What a wonderful, wild ride I went on reading this! I'll admit I'm already biased because I love stories that celebrate storytelling and libraries and the written word, and this one does that so beautifully. Aside from that, I was swept away on a completely unique and fascinating journey with characters I loved and cared for right from the start - Livira may be a new favourite. The library is a character itself that is extraordinary, dangerous, strange and otherworldly. The world is full of mystery, danger, magic and technology that is never quite as it seems and the deeper you go the more bizarre it becomes. You are carried along on an ever winding story that you think you've figured out, only to have the rug pulled out from under you in unexpected ways. I wanted to ignore life to read this book, a true sign it had captured me. I think the less you know about it before going in, the better, so I'm being purposely vague. All I can say is that it rekindled my love for what fantasy can do when an experienced author lets their imagination run wild and crafts something exceptional, something that will stick with you long after you finish. Only it isn't finished! It's going to be a LONG wait for the next volume...
It may only be the first book, but it's already shot to one of my absolute favourites and I can't wait to see where it goes next!

A warm slice of life story that the Japanese seem to know how to do best. There is nothing overly deep here, being a rather slim volume, but it still manages to capture a state of life upheaval and the healing power of both books and family has to set a new life course in the wake of that upheaval. It's the kind of story I gravitate too, so maybe I enjoyed it more than the average person. The characters aren't really fleshed out, but I enjoyed them anyway, especially the uncle. The second 1/2 of the book takes a detour that seems somewhat odd, but it helps to put perspective on the whole, so I didn't mind it. It isn't mind blowing, but just an especially good comfort read.

This book both enchanted me and destroyed me! But I loved every minute, every second of reading it! I think it might be my favourite book this year and high on my all time favourites. I loved everything about it! Can we begin with enchanted typewriters? I mean that's all that needed to be said to pull me in, but then there is also the epic fantasy backdrop, but set within an era similar to the early 1900's, which is a wonderful breath of fresh air in the fantasy genre. The use of letters and words between characters that captured my heart. Iris and Roman. Enough said. It's been so long since I felt so deeply for two characters and their story. The romance, that was slow to build, but so satisfying and delightful and charming, but never at the cost of the characters own personal journey. And among that all it also managed to tell a heartbreaking story of war and loss, but also spark determination and inspiration. I cheered, laughed, cried, had a plethora of emotions run through me. It felt magical and whimsical, but also gritty and real. Overall it just grabbed me by the heart and never let go...I sobbed when it was over and I won't be the same until I can read the next one. I wish I had better words to say how much I loved this book and why it hit such a chord with me. All I can say is I've waited for a fantasy book to sweep me away emotionally and mentally like this for awhile now and I feel such an overwhelming satisfaction to have finally found one that was able to do that after a long line of misses. I will carry this one with me for a long time!

I loved, loved, loved this book! The atmosphere, dark academia leanings, the mystery, the fairytale elements, relatability, and a non-cringey, slow burn romance. Most especially though it's themes on storytelling and authorship. I'm not sure I can fully articulate how much I loved this but I'll try!
The very beginning felt a bit awkward in the writing, but once Ava Reid hits her stride the writing literally drips with atmospheric lyricism. I FELT this book and was transported every time I opened it to a place that was damp, eerie, haunting and vivid. But it's not just the writing style that captivated me, but also the fact that Reid deals with some pretty unsettling and heavy subjects, while also telling a fantastic story. Sexism, patriarchy, sexual assault, female autonomy, and mental health are weaved in so well that it never feels heavy handed, but just disconcerting enough to make you pay attention and really think about the implications. It is written so seamlessly that it never detracts from the story or enjoyment of it. I really loved the main character Effy. Her struggles are relatable, she is relatable in so many ways and in the end very inspiring. I think that's what I enjoyed the most about this book - it deals with a lot of dark, unpleasant subjects, but Reid manages to build it into something very positive and inspiring. It would be easy to leave it in the mire and bitterness and bleakness, but instead her character Effy rises above that, fights to change her fate and inner struggles with wits, determination and bravery and I think we all could use more encouragement to do the same no matter our circumstances. Reading, books and storytelling have long been a huge source of comfort, encouragement and solace for me and this book hits so close to home on that fine line between our admiration for the flawed people who write those stories, the impact the stories have on our lives and how we navigate the tightrope of the ownership of those stories.
I want to say so much more, about the refreshingly healthy romance and actually likeable and decent love interest, the setting and fairytale aspect, but I'll stop here otherwise this review will be an essay and will leave it to others to discover this treasure of a book!

I went straight from book 1 into book 2 and I pretty much feel the same as I did about book one. 3.5 stars if I could. It didn't improve on the things I disliked, but continued to do well the things that I did like. I'm still not a huge fan of Ren. It's hard to believe her absolute dedication to her brother after the events of the first book and again, though I get she is supposed to be a grey character, there was just not much about her I liked. Her one redeeming quality seems to be her love for her brother, but after previous events seems shallow at best. She accepts that she's flawed and not a good person, but does absolutely nothing to change that or to improve. I guess I expected more of a redemptive arc and didn't feel that actually happened. However, I still love the world-building and dark lyrical writing. The world continues to be unique, fascinating, horror-like and mythical in all the right ways. I was more pulled in by the world of Japanese myths and folklore much more than the characters, as I was in the first book. I struggle with how to rate these books because on one level I really enjoyed the world and magic and unique nature of the story, but I had a hard time connecting to the characters which is usually my biggest reason to love a book. I don't think they are in anyway bad and I think they are worth a read, but maybe just won't be an all time favourite.

Another hard one to rate by stars. 3 1/2 maybe would be better. I really loved the use of Japanese folklore, the lyrical and vivid writing and very unique world building. It felt very much like an anime, I kept picturing it through the lens of anime I've seen with Yokai and Shinigami which I'm a huge fan of. Overall a much darker story than the usual YA offering with an almost horror leaning feel which I also kind of liked. I think, however, I was more entranced by the world and the writing than the characters. Ren is meant to be a grey character, which I actually think is a bold move and a unique one to explore, except that even grey characters need something that makes you like them on some level even if you dislike their decisions. But Ren is really devoid of character traits that create empathy altogether. We're meant to sympathize with her struggles as biracial and her feeling like she never quite belongs, but it's hard to do when her personality is so disagreeable and she makes ridiculous decisions that make her actually unlikable. At the start I didn't mind her and her bond with her brother gave her a huge boost in my eyes, but as the story progresses she just throws those redeeming characteristics in the garbage and never recovers from that. By the end I actually disliked her. Maybe that's the intent, but I wanted some reason to sympathize with how she got to that point and I never felt it. It's such a shame though because I actually really loved the world and Baker's writing which paints such dark sumptuous pictures in my mind as I read. Out of the recent Asian inspired fantasy I have read I really think this was the best in terms of feel, writing and world-building, but character-wise was lacking. I'm going to give book 2 a go in hopes Ren redeems herself at some point and maybe this one will feel better once the story concludes. If you can get past Ren as a character, there's a great story here and a lot to like, especially if you are a fan of Japanese folklore, anime and dark fantasy.

I feel like this is maybe more of a 3 1/2 star (where are those 1/2 stars Goodreads?). I also feel on the fence about how to review it. The premise sounds like the start of an interesting joke, but it actually had me intrigued and in the beginning it felt brilliant. Part novel of manners, part gothic mystery, part fantasy sci-fi with characters hailing from the best of the classics...Jekyll and Hyde, Frankenstein, Moreau, Sherlock and Watson, but with a feminist twist having many of the classic characters ‘daughters' take centre stage. For the first half of the book I was really enjoying it, even if I found the side commentary a bit distracting at times. I was interested in the mystery and the coming together of the characters and building up to a showdown. But then it gets really over long and seems to have a climax in the middle and then spends the rest of the book having the characters explain their part in the whole ‘mystery', which frankly gets a bit boring after awhile. Show, don't tell goes right out the window. I'm glad I did the audio book, because I may have given up. It looses all momentum and becomes a tedious recounting of past events and I lost whatever care I had for the characters as they are reduced to storytellers without personalities. I really wanted to love this. There is a great, interesting and unique story in there, but the odd decision to have the characters interrupt the story with dialogue and letting the second half of the book devolve into a lacklustre ‘and this is what happened to me' recounting AFTER the climax just had it feel flat at the end. I don't think it is a terrible book and I really enjoyed the first half, so it does have some merit, but the second half just fizzled what joy I had going in and left me feeling a bit disappointed. I think the audio book helps if you can listen to it, as the narrator manages to inflect some more life into the characters and that helped me get through to the end.

It's been a long time since a book had me turning pages and wanting to ignore life to read it. Starling House is also exactly the type of story I was looking to read for autumn/fall...creepy, mysterious and atmospheric. I'm not a big horror fan, but I do love stories that are unsettling and mix the supernatural, folklore and fairytales. Although never stated, I felt there was a bit of a play on Beauty and the Beast, but in Harlow's hand it becomes a different and unique story. Her lyrical writing gives everything an otherworldly feel, most especially in respect to the house itself, which becomes a character in its own right and one I thoroughly enjoyed and loved. The mystery aspect is what had me reading every chance I could get, but the heart of the story is really about family and home. Complicated, messy and often what you make it, not what you're born into. There's a bit of romance. I thought I was over the brooding types, but apparently Arthur proved me wrong. But it never becomes tropey or ridiculous. It's a bit gothic mystery, a bit dark modern fairytale, a bit ghost story and overall just a great read! So many elements I love and though I still hold Harlow's The Ten Thousand Doors of January above this one and an all-time favourite, Starling House is certainly up there and I highly recommend it!

‘That was so sweet!' Were my exact words when I finished reading this and then I read the author's Acknowledgments and had it confirmed! Maybe not everyone will feel that way about Thornhedge, but I really loved this novella! It felt like a fairytale for those of us who don't feel like princesses. Who feel odd, and ugly and unlovable and that there might be hope for us to find our happily ever after too. A re-telling of Sleeping Beauty using faerie lore and much more ‘original' Brothers Grimm feel, it is exactly the kind of atmosphere and earthier overtone I like for my fairytales. It made me think of Jim Henson's The Storyteller series, which I also love. Dark, old world magic, gritty and yet oddly enough still really charming. The main character Toadling stole my heart, I love her so much, and the prince was humble and endearing in a way I don't think I've ever seen in fantasy. No brooding fae or snobby royalty here. For such a short read, it just charmed me from the first to last page. Despite borrowing from other works, it feels completely unique and I highly recommend it! After really enjoying T.Kingfisher's novel Nettle and Bone earlier this year, I may have found a new fav author!

This story is creepy and dark and yet somehow still manages to keep a childlike sense about it. It's slightly bizarre, in true Neil Gaiman fashion, and borders more on nightmarish than on whimsical imagination, but is a fast-paced ride that will keep you turning pages. I feel like I stumbled on a corner of Britain that holds old magic and dark pathways or portals to places beyond our reality. Pulled into a dark and surreal realm where you're not quite sure what is reality and what is fantasy, or do they mirror each other? I'm only realizing now that the narrator is never named!! And yet he is the core of the book and seeing the story unfold through his eyes, a 7-year-old's eyes, gives it that childlike sensibility and a viewpoint that captures a child's view of the adult world so vividly and well. It also made me revisit memories of my own childhood where I took paths less trodden through field and marsh, over and under fences and through forests, imagining them as fantastical places, giving it an almost nostalgic feeling. I think it was the perfect quick read for fall!

I think this is the best book I've read this year! From the lyrical writing, to the dark fairytale aspects, to the haunting atmospheric tones, to the mystery I thought I'd figured out until it twists unexpectedly at the end. The whole package was an exquisite reading experience! I both wanted to rush through it and savour it at the same time. It feels unsettling through most of it. What is real, what is imagination, what actually happened, and what are the true motivations of the characters? You want to know, yet you suspect it won't be happily ever after, or even very pretty. A fantastic autumn read with dark undertones and a creepiness that gives you an uneasy feeling that deepens the further in you go. I'm not into full on horror, but I love dark and sometimes even disturbing stories that read like original unfiltered fairytales and this book certainly takes its cues from those tales. It weaves a dark spell that you can't look away from even though you know the reveal will be haunting and Roshani Chokshi doesn't disappoint, delivering an ending worthy of the build up. Highly, highly recommended!

I picked this one up based on a recommendation and also thought it would be a good book for the autumn/Halloween season, expecting it to give a certain creep factor or at least some spooky vibes. I don't think that is what this book is though. In and of itself, that is not a bad thing. My expectations on that front were disappointing, but that's not the book's fault. I feel this book falls more into macabre superheroes than horror or gothic - which is what I was looking for. It never really creeped me out, even in the atmospheric way, however, it was engaging enough for me to plow through it quite quickly and enjoy the base of the story. The pace certainly kept me turning pages. It really could have used a bit of polishing. The overuse of ‘sighing' at the beginning - she sighed, he sighed, sighed, sighed, sighed grated after awhile and there were a few other places where I felt the writing could have used some refining. It pulled me out of the story a few times, to be honest. Having said that, I do think it is pretty unique. I don't think I've read anything like it and there is some good world-building, even if it's not super fleshed out. I didn't click really well with the characters, especially the main character Ness. While I get that she's a grey character, there were times I almost disliked her more than liked her. I understand her need for growth, and that does happen, but in the end she continues her rather disconcerting selfishness that comes across as more childish and almost egomaniacal. Maybe this is a personal thing on my part, but it did detract from my overall enjoyment of the book because I didn't really care about her. Is it a horrible book? No definitely not, but was it fantastic? No, it wasn't that either. I enjoyed it as a time passer, but I don't think it will stick with me beyond that.