Alana

When I tell you I've been waiting to read this book since the moment I saw its cover, I'm dead serious. The fact that it is based on Polish folklore and magic is a plus. Like usual in fantasy fiction that pulls from geographical and historical lore, Where the Dark Stands Still had an abundance of atmosphere and gorgeous descriptions. I loved Leszy from the beginning and the deal she makes with a demon of the wood had me hooked. The writing is beautiful, a bit slow in a couple places and very heavy on Polish terms (google is my savior) and the story is set solidly in the wood but my oh my, this setting was done so well that I didn't require traveling or switching around to keep me invested. A.B. Poranek writes lusciously and I loved getting lost in a lore inspired world filled with gray characters, magic, and bargains.

Don't be fooled, this took me longer than it usually takes me to read a fantasy book, but that wasn't because I loved it any less. This was a smashing end to Lacey's duology and my gosh I love these characters. The plot in Forever Reign feels a little less streamlined and focused than it does in book one but I wasn't overly annoyed by the lil' side quests here and there because, hey, did I mention I love the characters? They can do no wrong!

Buffy + Celtic Mythology + badass cover art?!? This was a no brainer for me. It's a short book while still maintaining the immersive fantasy I long for and packing in emotional lessons about humanity in all its glory (and not-so glory). Plus, Alexandria and Neve were goals and I'm in love with both of them and all their sunshine-grumpy glory. No notes from this reader who has become a dedicated Fay fan (I love adding new authors to my reading obsession list).

A slow-burn, feminist retelling, setting by/with the sea, and sapphic love. Rose Sutherland came and answered all my wishes with this beautiful book. The mystery and romance that follows Muirin was deliciously done and their evolving relationship was the best part of the book. Add in magic and selkies and my gosh, this was perhaps my favorite read of 2024 so far. Crazy because it's only spring and I've already read some great books this year. I like where this is going.

I’ve heard a lot about Reid, which makes sense: I’m the target audience, genre-wise. I think she writes well and her stories, at least from what I can tell here, contain all the darkness I love in fantasy. I was a tidbit uncomfortable with some of the content in this book, which doesn’t necessarily turn me off from the author, but turns me off from the broader story. When I think “dark,” I think more in line with dystopian or horror themes: not necessarily abuse, over-sexualization, and so on. Those things aren’t inherently wrong, and I’m not one to shy away from a story with those factors in it, but the way they played out here within the context of abuse didn’t quite sit with me. I’m as a result undecided on this one. Will I read more Reid? Heck yeah. I like to think of myself as a reader who returns once I’ve read an author I’m anywhere from lukewarm to avid fan of. I’m on the lukewarm side with Reid right now, but this is one book, and I’m curious to see how her others line up.

It’s obvious by now I don’t attack my tbr in order, and sometimes I see a book title that makes me so giddy, pulls me in so fast, that any attempt at orderly tbr reading goes out the window about a thousand miles an hour. Sometimes the choice is not well made but whew, this one was. Was I expecting an actual emotional roller coaster that made me cry and reflect on my own growing up as a queer individual? Not to the extent I received. I read this in one day and I only felt like a minute passed. The quirky title did nothing to prepare me for this beautiful, resonant read.

*was planning to read before the holidays* *ends up reading an entire month later* but hey, it was a book worth waiting for. Moorcock has a talent for writing mythic, adventurous fantasies, harking back to adventures like LOTR or other classic fantasies. This isn't a long read by any means, but there's still an abundance of world-building and travels across an epic fantasy landscape. Perfect for a quick but thorough read, and I'm floored that I actually hadn't heard of this fantasy author until very recently (it's readable even without the context of Elric, but it doesn't hurt to read Moorcock's previous works either)

THIS book. This book right here is why I love reading. I read pretty much any genre and I'll try anything, but epic fantasy with magic, characters who drive the plot, twists at every corner, banter, mystery, and high stakes is exactly what I go for. Every. Damn. Time. There's also books that check off all those boxes but still might not pan out well. Not this one. I cannot think of a single page where I got bored, had to overlook something, or got annoyed with the characters. Every single POV was needed and worked in favor of the story rather than detracting from it. The romance isn't in your face (ya'll don't come at me, but too much spice is getting old and has started to ruin some fantasy books for me, especially when the books are advertised as fantasy/romantasy). The balance here was perfect. Isla holds her own and then some, the elemental magic was written beautifully, the history and world building were the cherry on top of the lore, and even when I felt like I knew where things were going I was proven wrong. Ya'll...if your genre preferences align with mine, read this. And then the next, because I'm already adding that baby to my tbr.

A deviously dark fantasy mystery. Jinx has a timeless feel rooted in blissful teen naivety, which shatters at the climax and forces bold, theatrical Jan and her laidback best friend Shelley to adjust their world view and trust. The story starts out innocent, but it doesn’t stay that way. The beginning has an achingly nostalgic feel: best friends searching for summer fun, exploring coves and boardwalks… then finding themselves in a mess they never dreamed of. The magic’s origin is left largely up to the reader. We don’t know what or who actually created the box and what the intention was, which makes the sea witch legend chillingly creepy. I’m already scared of the ocean, so I don’t need more nightmares about dark ancient magic it stirs up. It’s been a while since I’ve read this author but this is just as dark and mysterious as I remember her writing to be. It’s also hard to forget the beautiful illustrations in her books. They remind me how much I’d like to see illustrations in other novels, young adult or otherwise. The way the characters are drawn supplement the descriptions and the different elements come together sublimely. Gimme more!

Bonus, this is a debut. I get giddy reading debuts and this one was special because of the afterword. On the whole, a grand read. I may not be the target audience age, but hey, I enjoy me some teen young adult books, especially darker ones. There weren’t many parts I got impatient at. The wake of the boat incident could have been a little shorter, but eh, that’s persnickety. Given what it leads to, let’s just say it was well worth the wait… and next time I set off any firecrackers, I’ll stay a mile away from gasoline.