Review: Ice Upon a Pier, by Ladz

Ruta Pawlak is one of the most successful contract killers Pier-Upon-Pier City has ever seen. Convicted of five murders that landed her multiple life sentences, her kill count allegedly sits between fifteen and two hundred people. Some were just for practice, others for revenge, and others she executed for money to keep her potentially world-record setting reading collection going.
For the first time, a biographer sits down with the legendary killer to hear her story in her own words. Get the details on her relationship with her depraved bosses and her eclectic arsenal of murder weapons from ice magic to poison to even the sun itself. From her impoverished upbringing to her introduction to the Syndicates to her bizarre affair with fellow killer Frieda Masters to Ruta’s eventual downfall, this account goes beyond headlines and court proceedings, weaving a story of love, family, survival, and murder.

"My warped sense of morality embarrasses me."

Ladz's Ice Upon a Pier is a sparse novella chronicling the life of a sapphic contract killer with ice powers. The narration jumps from past to present as she recounts her first kills, her romance with a fellow assassin, and how she eventually ended up in prison. She's unapologetic in her stories, with a caustic tone that works well, and ends up being very sympathetic, given her backstory and her self-imposed rules.

The worldbuilding is truly minimal, but this is a nice palate cleanser, a story with a noir feel and an Interview with the Vampire vibe. Coincidentally, vampires do exist in this world where crime syndicates make war on one another, and one makes an appearance. One gets the feeling that a sequel could be in the works, but the story is perfectly self-contained.

Ice Upon a Pier is a compact novella.

✨ 3.5 stars

Review: The Sun and the Void, by Gabriela Romero Lacruz

Reina is desperate. Stuck on the edges of society, Reina's only hope lies in an invitation from a grandmother she's never met. But the journey to her is dangerous, and prayer can't always avert disaster. Attacked by creatures that stalk the mountains, Reina is on the verge of death until her grandmother, a dark sorceress, intervenes. Now dependent on the Dona's magic for her life, Reina will do anything to earn-and keep-her favor. Even the bidding of an ancient god who whispers to her at night.
Eva Kesare is unwanted. Illegitimate and of mixed heritage, Eva is her family's shame. She tries to be the perfect daughter, but Eva is hiding a secret: magic calls to her. Eva knows she should fight the temptation. Magic is the sign of the dark god, and using it is punishable by death. Yet it's hard to ignore power when it has always been denied you. Eva is walking a dangerous path, one that gets stranger every day. And in the end, she'll become something she never imagined.

"Sometimes the garden path lined by rosebushes could lead to a thicket of thorns."

Gabriela Romero Lacruz's The Sun and the Void is the first book in a fantasy duology inspired by Venezuelan folklore, exploring themes of racism and twisted family dynamics well. The two PoV characters go each on a journey from passivity to taking agency and making choices. They’re not perfect characters, in fact they might infuriate some readers, but the author treats them seriously.

With her plot about being complicit in a sacrificial ritual, Reina is an unlikable protagonist who nevertheless is done very well, and following her journey of realization is very satisfying. Bound to the family that saved her, she latches onto the kinder members, willing to do everything that's asked of her, but the choices she makes at some turns are her saving grace. Eva is similarly trapped by her own blood relatives who despise the manner of her birth, and finally takes matters into her hands to carve her own path and save herself. As their paths cross, they're both changed by the experience, and their choices will prove to be explosive.

The supporting cast holds up well. Reina's grandmother shines with all her complexities, making her a well-rounded antagonist, and so does Celeste, a complicated character with a holier-than-thou attitude. The biggest surprises are Maior, graduating from background character to something more, and Javier, violent character with surprising depths. The interpersonal relationships between all these characters range from well-explored to barely scraping the surface, making some of the final beats inexplicable. Reina's relationship to Maior in particular suffers from this.

The worldbuilding is complex and intriguing, with an interesting magical system and races that are seen as other and dangerous. Our two main characters suffer from systemic racism, in a world where religious colonialism changed the attitude of the conquered land. There's political upheaval and a fight for their rights, but it's rather in the background, except in a big moment that should feel momentous but leads to absolutely nothing. Queerness isn't well-accepted either, and one could argue the need for recognition and the resentment towards who can pass are important themes of the book. Reina's infatuation with Celeste suffers from the ostracism in this world, and possibly we'll see in the next book the consequences of her beginning a relationship with a woman.

The pacing is the main problem of the novel, especially between the first and the second part of the book; the prose is at times evocative and at others a bit nonsensical.

The Sun and the Void is a promising debut with an interesting premise.

✨ 3.5 stars

Review: Til Death Do Us Bard, by Rose Black

It's been almost a year since Logan 'The Bear' Theaker hung up his axe and settled down with his sunshiny bard husband, Pie. But when Pie disappears, Logan is forced back into a world he thought he'd left behind. Logan quickly discovers that Pie has been blackmailed into stealing a powerful artifact capable of creating an undead army. With the help of an old adversary and a ghost from his past, Logan sets out to rescue his husband.
But the further the quest takes him, the more secrets Logan uncovers. He'll need all his strength to rescue his husband - but can he save their marriage?

"Everything's a story."

Rose Black's Til Death Do Us Bard is an adventure that attempts to be cozy and funny, but the humor falls flat and the coziness disappears very quickly. The main characters' relationship, which is established by the time the book starts, is recounted from its inceptions in vignettes in-between chapters, painting a sweet story of grabbing second chances and finding love in one's forties.

The main plot reveals secrets and lies that should color at least a bit of the relationship, but the conflict solves pretty quickly as the two husbands focus on saving the realm from a threat. The world was generic, painted quickly, which is a shame, because there were interesting things about necromancy and unicorns, and an intriguing backstory about the world was introduced towards the end, which didn't give enough time to really appreciate the sudden dramatic paradigm shift.

The supporting cast was strong, with a ghost ex-wife, a sheltered shepherd, and an old necromancer countess whose sexual harassment of all the male characters was unfortunately used as a source of humor.

The ending ties up all loose threads, and it's certainly creative.

Til Death Do Us Bard is a book that had great potential.

✨ 3.5 stars

Snippet: Hearts Forged in Dragon Fire, by Erica Hollis

Most dragontongues don’t live long enough to learn from their mistakes. Lotte Meer is luckier than most, surviving long enough to communicate with the fierce, sullen, and temperamental dragons who are not above enjoying a human as a light snack. And she has the scars to prove it. Now a massive, foul-tempered dragon has taken over the town of Morwassen's Pass, taking the citizens hostage. As long as they bring him their gold and treasure, he won’t reduce their city to a smoking heap of ash and death. Only, the treasure is running out and Lotte—with the help of sharp-tongued, unbelievably cute Maryse Basvaan—is their last and only hope. But this dragon is more cunning—and more cruel—than any other. Not only is he holding Lotte’s estranged mom captive, but he has a taste for betrayal…and somehow he’s stricken some kind of secret deal with the girl who’s already gone and stolen Lotte’s heart.

“Pride and bravery kill more than weapons.”

Erica Hollis' Hearts Forged in Dragon Fire is a sapphic YA adventure that doesn't live up to its great premise. Set in a queernormative world, it sees the main character fall in love with a girl with a secret, navigate a newfound family, and attempt to save the city from a bloodthirsty dragon with her power that allows her to understand the language of dragons. The execution is very linear, the plot twists easy to see, and the narration very simple, but it's not a bad thing in itself; the book has things to say about learning that your parents are people, and it could be a very important book for a young reader who's just starting reading SFF. The mini-dragons are a delightful addition.

✨ 3 stars

Review: Bookshops & Bonedust, by Travis Baldree

Viv's career with the notorious mercenary company Rackam's Ravens isn't going as planned. Wounded during the hunt for a powerful necromancer, she's packed off against her will to recuperate in the sleepy beach town of Murk—so far from the action that she worries she'll never be able to return to it. What's a thwarted soldier of fortune to do?
Spending her hours at a beleaguered bookshop in the company of its foul-mouthed proprietor is the last thing Viv would have predicted, but it may be both exactly what she needs and the seed of changes she couldn't possibly imagine. Still, adventure isn't all that far away. A suspicious traveler in gray, a gnome with a chip on her shoulder, a summer fling, and an improbable number of skeletons prove Murk to be more eventful than Viv could have ever expected.

"Sometimes, we aren't the right people yet."

Travis Baldree's Bookshops & Bonedust is the perfect prequel to the lovely Legends & Lattes, a prequel the author hadn't anticipated but that allowed him to flesh out more the protagonist, Viv, and expand on her backstory and her motivations. This is another low-stakes story wherein Viv learns the art of staying still in one place, finds friends, has a fling, and makes connections; she starts to read, and learns the magic of books.

This books is soft and tender and charming, and it has very poignant things to say about there being a time for everything, about missing chances and growing and finding one's place. The characters are all so vivid, we even see some old faces, and the epilogue especially was delightful. New races are explored, the worldbuilding grows, and there's more of a coherent plot regarding a magical threat, than in the first book of the series. It takes what worked so well in the first installment, and gives more, for a beautiful exploration of the ties that bind people.

Bookshops & Bonedust is a worthy prequel/sequel and a cozy marvel.

✨ 4 stars

📚📚📚 IF YOU LOVE THIS, YOU MIGHT LIKE:

* The Bookshop and the Barbarian, by Morgan Stang

for: low-stakes, bookshops

Review: A Necessary Chaos, by Brent Lambert

In a world of magical empires and the anarchists that would tear them down, two mages, Althus and Vade, are each assigned to spy on the other by opposing sides. But when they both catch feelings, what happens when they’re commanded to kill their target? They must each decide if they'll follow orders or find a way to make their romance thrive beyond the lies.

"Grief never performed a single resurrection."

Brent Lambert's A Necessary Chaos is a sci-fi novella with magical aspects, a thrilling enemies-to-lovers romance between two men tasked to spy on each other. The dual POV allows to delve into the psyche, the past, and the motives of the main characters; we begin in medias res, with the deception of their love affair having gone on for years, and follow the inevitable shattering of the illusion when both characters are tasked to get rid of each other.

On the background is the larger conflict between an Empire that meddles with demons and human experiments, and the rebels who try to stop the carnage. When the truth is finally revealed, we race towards a high-stakes ending where characters need to learn to trust each other in order to avoid untold horrors. The novella was perfectly contained, giving tantalizing glimpses of a larger worldbuilding while managing to stick the landing. The main characters are skilled operatives, competent fighters with secrets, and the explosive finale is well-earned.

Unfortunately, there were a lot of typos.

A Necessary Chaos is a solid novella debut.

✨ 4 stars

📚📚📚 IF YOU LOVE THIS, YOU MIGHT LIKE:

* This is How You Lose the Time War, by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

for: espionage, enemies to lovers

Review: A Market of Dreams and Destiny, by Trip Galey

Below Covent Garden lies the Untermarkt, where anything and everything has a price: a lover’s first blush, a month of honesty, a wisp of fortune. As a child, Deri was sold to one of the Market’s most powerful merchants. Now, after years of watchful servitude, Deri finally spots a chance to buy not only his freedom but also his place amongst the Market’s elite when he stumbles into the path of a runaway princess desperate to sell her royal destiny.
But news of the missing princess and her wayward destiny spreads. Royal enforcers and Master Merchants alike are after it. Outmanoeuvring them all would all be hard enough had Deri not just also met the love of his life, a young man called Owain, whose employers are using the Market for their own nefarious schemes. Deri soon finds that the price of selling the royal destiny, making a name for himself, and saving the man he loves is dear. The cost of it all might just change the destiny of London forever.

"True Love? That’s worth far more".

Trip Galey's A Market of Dreams and Destiny is a fun adventure set in an alternative England where Henry VIII turned to druidry to achieve his divorce, and Elizabeth I made a pact with Titania; where magic permeates every dealing, and the goblin market is the place where one can find anything, ruled by its own fay rules, but also a place where great injustice abounds.

The setting is intriguing, and yet the execution feels a little lacking; much more could have been explored. We follow the lives of two indentured servants as they navigate the market and face new threats, attempt to buy back their contracts, fight against the system, and fall in insta-love. Their relationship isn't fully explored, and this takes away from the shock that the big resolution should provoke.

Deri is a great protagonist, mischievous and very smart, able to male do with less than nothing and find new ways out of trouble. A thorough planner, it's a joy to watch him outmaneuver almost everyone in his quest to find the best solution with the least loss, even though his more altruistic plans are almost an afterthought. His ability to hear words when the London bells ring makes for an interesting power that could have been explored further.

The prose is phenomenal, lyrical and vivid and filled with great imagery, clever turns of phrase, and memorable characters populating the goblin market, from Deri's master who can speak with gold, to the cat that decides to take an interest in Deri's affairs, and many others. The goblin and fae, being genderless, are referred to exclusively with a neutral pronoun of the author's design.

A Market of Dreams and Destiny is a book that's filled with wonder.

✨ 3.5 stars

📚📚📚 IF YOU LOVE THIS, YOU MIGHT LIKE:

* Lava Red Feather Blue, by Molly Ringle

for: faerie, mischief

Review: Bitterthorn, by Kat Dunn

Blumwald is a town overshadowed by an ancient curse: in a sinister castle in the depths of the wild wood lives a monstrous Witch. Once a generation, she comes to claim a companion to return with her – never to be seen again. Now that time is drawing near once more.
Mina, daughter of the duke, is grieving and lonely. She has lost all hope of any future for herself in Blumwald. So when the Witch demands her next companion, Mina offers herself up – though she has no idea what fate awaits her. Stranded with her darkly alluring captor, the mystery of what happened to the previous companions draws Mina into the heart of a terrifying secret that could save her life, or end it.

"Loneliness isn't a fixed state".

Kat Dunn's Bitterthorn is a sapphic gothic tale set in the Nineteenth Century, its atmosphere reminiscent of The Beauty and the Beast while not being a complete retelling. Told in the first person, it narrates a tale of profound loneliness and duty, of cruelty born of isolation, of love and infinite kindness. The story gravitates around Mina and her relationship with the Witch, the monster haunting the region with her curse.

The Witch is seen through Mina's eyes; through Mina we are first scared, then fascinated, as the inquisitive narrator does her best to understand her captor and what is to be asked of her. Her ignorance of her fate makes for a compelling read as the reader puts the pieces together and divines what the climax of the novel may be, only to be surprised by the outcome. I don't deny I would have loved a more tragic ending - it seemed to be inevitable - but this book is softer than what one might glimpse at first.

The historical backdrop, with its use of Bismark's unification, serves the novel well, giving it an edge; the ignorance of the more modern Germans, who treat the Witch's existence as mere superstition, contrasts with the terrified knowledge of the country folk, who have to live with the seeping inevitability of the coming reaping. The few named characters are well-rounded, especially the schloss' all-present servant and Mina's father, but others seem to be paper-thin, like Mina's stepmother; of her step-sisters, only one seems to be a character.

This book would have maybe benefitted from more pages to truly appreciate the slow development of the relationship between Mina and her Witch, and to better explore the slow horror of the schloss, haunted with strange happenings and trapped in time. The writing was exquisite, lyrical and evocative and perfect in creating a haunting atmosphere.

Bitterthorn is a beautiful tale of love and duty.

✨ 3.5 stars

📚📚📚 IF YOU LOVE THIS, YOU MIGHT LIKE:

* Thorn, by Anna Burke

for: Beauty and the Beast, gothic

Review: Every Exquisite Thing, by Laura Steven

Penny Paxton is the daughter of an icon. Her supermodel mother has legions of adoring fans around the world, and Penny is ready to begin her journey to international adoration, starting with joining the elite Dorian Drama School. When Penny’s new mentor offers her an opportunity she cannot refuse, to have a portrait painted by a mysterious artist who can grant immortal beauty to all his subjects, Penny happily follows in the footsteps of Dorian’s most glittering alumni, knowing that stardom is sure to soon be hers. But when her trusted mentor is found murdered, Penny realises she’s made a terrible mistake – a sinister someone is using the uncanny portraits to kill off the subjects one by one. As more perfectly beautiful students start to fall, Penny knows her time is running out . . . A seductive and searing exploration of beauty, identity, and what the pursuit of perfection can truly cost.

"Girls don't want beauty. Girls want power. And sometimes beauty is the closest substitute".

Laura Steven's Every Exquisite Thing is a YA feminist and sapphic retelling of The Portrait of Dorian Gray, with elements from the classic being woven in an interesting way. Without getting too much into spoiler territory, the link isn't as tenuous as one may think at first. The book comes with a much appreciated note at the beginning, detailing the book's trigger warnings.

The narration in first person serves the novel well, highlighting the main character's growing unease with the very real threat to her life and with the supernatural happenings around her. We get to feel her helplessness and see her struggle with anorexia in a way that is disconcerting and unnerving.

The book delves deep into the themes of beauty, control, and identity, aided by a prose that is stunning in its simplicity. The execution is lacking in some parts, especially in the second half, but the book makes up for it with its heart; perhaps the revelations towards the end might have been foreshadowed better.

Queer longing permeates the pages, with the tension between the two leads coming to an end in a frenzied scene that works all the better because the ending softens the edges and makes this novel a very real journey of self-discovery that can only end with healing. But while the main trio, and the relationship they shared, is well-developed, the other two recurring characters in Penny's set of friends end up being criminally underdeveloped. The adults, on the other hand, are written better, especially the tragic figure of Penny's mother.

Every Exquisite Thing is a book that helps young women.

✨ 4 stars

📚📚📚 IF YOU LOVE THIS, YOU MIGHT LIKE:

* I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me, by Jamison Shea

for: deals, sacrifice

Review: Cursebreakers, by Madeleine Nakamura

Adrien Desfourneaux, professor of magic and disgraced ex-physician, has discovered a conspiracy. Someone is inflicting magical comas on the inhabitants of the massive city of Astrum, and no one knows how or why. Caught between a faction of scheming magical academics and an explosive schism in the ranks of Astrum’s power-hungry military, Adrien is swallowed by the growing chaos. Alongside Gennady, an unruly, damaged young soldier, and Malise, a brilliant healer and Adrien’s best friend, Adrien searches for a way to stop the spreading curse before the city implodes. He must survive his own bipolar disorder, his self-destructive tendencies, and his entanglement with the man who doesn’t love him back.

"In my greater and lesser moments, I fear that I must be fated for sainthood". Madeleine Nakamura's Cursebreakers is a quiet standalone debut about overcoming conspiracies and living with mental illness. Adrien is an extraordinary protagonist, sharp and hurting, haunted by wrong choices and by his bipolar disorder, which is here called akrasia. A skilled magician and a former healer, with a caustic personality, he finds himself drawn right into the thick of action while being a non-combatant in his forties who nonetheless strives to do the right thing. The exploration of his bipolar disorder, and later, of his addiction, is heartbreaking and poignant: we see the pain and desperation and the anguish of not being believed due to his condition; we suffer with him.

The supporting cast is equally good, painted in vivid strokes that make them jump out of the pages. Adrien's reluctant ally, a member of the dangerous militia that oversees the city's security, is such a complicated character, perennially angry and impulsive, but ultimately he endears himself with his desire to do and be better; the dynamic that grows between them is a joy to read. Adrien's best friend, a sapphic healer who helps him combat the worse effects of his bipolar disorder, is another exquisitely rendered character; her love for him is tangible, and so is her despair for his well-being. Then there's the man Adrien is in painfully unrequited love with, a fellow scholar who has agreed to be Adrien's keeper when the worst hits. Their dynamic is painful and vivid, Adrien's ache for him a constant throughout the book, and the resolution of their strange and frustating relationship is such a refreshing, well-executed take.

The resolution of the main conflict is also executed masterfully, with a final showdown that keeps you on the edge of your seat. However, there were whispers of deus-ex-machina and the world isn't as well-developed as I would have liked, while still being painted well enough for the purposes of a standalone novel. The relationship between the soldiers and their bonded raches, especially, could have warranted some more focus, but it was fascinating in what we could see. The setting of a magical school from the point of view of one of its professors, and the approach to the study of magic, was especially refreshing.

The prose is gorgeous, concise and at times archaic; I devoured this book in a matter of hours.

Cursebreakers is an extraordinary debut that deals with issues often going unseen in fantasy novels.

✨ 4.5 stars

📚📚📚 IF YOU LOVE THIS, YOU MIGHT LIKE:

* The Councillor, by E.J. Beaton

for: addiction, academia

Snippet: Merciless Waters, by Rae Knowles

Aboard the ship Scylla, there is no future or past. Jaq, her fickle lover Lily, and their all-female crew exist in an endless present. It’s better this way. At least it keeps Lily by Jaq’s side, where she belongs. But the meddling gods care little for Jaq’s longing, and despite her protective rituals, their punishment arrives all the same: a man, adrift on the open ocean. Delivered to snatch Lily from Jaq’s arms forever.
Jaq knows what to do. She’s lost Lily before. Her lover will return—when this interloper, this distraction, is snuffed out. But Jaq’s murderous schemes may not be enough. The intruder’s presence infects her crew with a plague her spells cannot cure: memory. And as the women recall how they came to Scylla, their minds bend one by one towards revenge.

"We crave violence, so we swallow violent men". Rae Knowles' Merciless Waters is a sapphic novella with horror undertones that are inspired by the figure of the rusalka. The narrator lulls the reader with her story, and the slow return of her memories, while thoughts of vengeance tint the narration with blood and gore. The lyrical prose and the oneiric images make for a little gem of a story, where violence against women is punished with relish. The sea krait was a delightful addition.

✨ 4 stars

📚📚📚 IF YOU LOVE THIS, YOU MIGHT LIKE:

* Providence Girls, by Morgan Dante

for: sea horrors, existential dread

Review: Reborn, by Seth Haddon

When the Rezwyn Empire mysteriously cuts diplomatic ties with the Kingdom of Usleth, merchant lord Oren Radek is sent to investigate. But when he discovers a coup brewing against the emperor, Radek's life and his country's safety is suddenly under threat. Izra Dziove, visionary advisor to the Rezwyn Emperor, is trying to hold the turbulent Rezwyn court together while being plagued by dreams of his fated man. But when Izra’s adversaries launch an attack on the diplomatic party from Usleth, he is forced to take action to protect them and prevent a war.
Forced to trust one another, both men must put aside their differences to save the future of both their nations, while also contending with the growing attraction between them— all while trying to understand their mysterious connection and the forces guiding their shared destiny. Can their fated love change the destiny of nations?

"To survive something as final as death". Seth Haddon's Reborn is a companion novel to the author's debut Reforged, set in the same world, but with a different set of characters. The world-building grows in depth and scope, with the introducion of new ways of thinking, new gods, new lore. The main characters are fated to be, and the fact that only one of them is aware of it creates an interest contrast; they are also opposites, in a way, and that makes for a good dynamic.

The plot structure was better than in the previous book, but the editing could use some work; the mistakes were jarring at times, and took me right out of the flow of reading. The supporting cast was less fleshed out too, which is a shame because that was a definite plus of the first book. It's like in fleshing out more the main characters' relationship, the author had to resort to making the other characters utterly monodimensional.

Reborn is a step down from its predecessor.

✨ 3.5 stars

Review: In the Roses of Pieria, by Anna Burke

When Clara Eden is offered a job as an archivist working for eccentric estate owner Agatha Montague, she thinks her prayers have been answered. Soon, she finds herself sucked into her research world, captivated by a romantic correspondence thousands of years old. But as her feelings for her employer's assistant, Fiadh, deepen, so does her suspicion that something about Agatha Montague isn't right. Unfortunately for Clara, it is far too late to run by the time her suspicions are confirmed.

"I'll paint your face into the histories". Anna Burke's In the Roses of Pieria is a sapphic horror novel with a complex worldbuilding and academic overtones that really enrich the experience. The story is interspersed with a millennia-old correspondence that tugs at the heartstrings with its lyrical passages and references to Sappho's fragments, while slowly unease creeps into Clara and the readers alike as the main character realizes the truth behind the letters.

The fictional Nektopolis, created by the author as a backdrop to such an ancient love story, is so vividly described that makes one wonder whether it's real; the novel begins with an academic discussion that goes on for pages and sets the atmosphere well. The genre-savvy reader will understand immediately what takes Clara a little more time to wrap her head around, but the novel is still full of surprises with an exciting (and mildly horrific) take on the fae.

As the story unfolds, so does the love story between Clara and Fiadh, speeding through the unraveling horror making itself known. Fiadh is a compelling love interest, mysterious and intricate in her loyalties, but fierce in her passions. The adventurous second part of the novel allows to explore her more as a character, and revelations abound. The story, while pretty self-contained, ends with an abrupt cliffhanger that leaves you wanting the second installment in the duology immediately.

In the Roses of Pieria is a gloriously weird sapphic vampire story.

✨ 5 stars

📚📚📚 IF YOU LOVE THIS, YOU MIGHT LIKE:

* A Long Time Dead, Samara Breger

for: sapphic vampires, love through the ages

Snippet: The Water Outlaws, by S.L. Huang

Lin Chong is an expert arms instructor, training the Emperor's soldiers in sword and truncheon, battle axe and spear, lance and crossbow. Unlike bolder friends who flirt with challenging the unequal hierarchies and values of Imperial society, she believes in keeping her head down and doing her job. Until a powerful man with a vendetta rips that carefully-built life away.
Disgraced, tattooed as a criminal, and on the run from an Imperial Marshall who will stop at nothing to see her dead, Lin Chong is recruited by the Bandits of Liangshan. Mountain outlaws on the margins of society, the Liangshan Bandits proclaim a belief in justice—for women, for the downtrodden, for progressive thinkers a corrupt Empire would imprison or destroy. They’re also murderers, thieves, smugglers, and cutthroats. Apart, they love like demons and fight like tigers. Together, they could bring down an empire.

"We shall be the storm of silk and steel that shelters all those in need". S.L. Huang's The Water Outlaws is a standalone anti-hero journey that genderbends a classic Chinese novel, Water Margin, mixing things up with interesting magic. It's a violent tale about rebelling against a broken system - one that allows rape and abuse of power, where dissidents are thrown into prison - and making the most of what one has, about finding community even amongst violent people. The cast is huge, but the two main characters, once friends and now possibly on opposite sides, undergo major character development that feels organic and earned. The tale slows down towards the middle only to pick up towards an explosive finale that accounts for all the loose threads.

✨ 4 stars

📚📚📚 IF YOU LOVE THIS, YOU MIGHT LIKE:

* The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water, by Zen Cho

for: banditry, queer wuxia

Review: A Power Unbound, by Freya Marske

Jack Alston, Lord Hawthorn, would love a nice, safe, comfortable life. After the death of his twin sister, he thought he was done with magic for good. But with the threat of a dangerous ritual hanging over every magician in Britain, he’s drawn reluctantly back into that world. Now Jack is living in a bizarre puzzle-box of a magical London townhouse, helping an unlikely group of friends track down the final piece of the Last Contract before their enemies can do the same. And to make matters worse, they need the help of writer and thief Alan Ross.
Cagey and argumentative, Alan is only in this for the money. The aristocratic Lord Hawthorn, with all his unearned power, is everything that Alan hates. And unfortunately, Alan happens to be everything that Jack wants in one gorgeous, infuriating package. When a plot to seize unimaginable power comes to a head at Cheetham Hall―Jack’s ancestral family estate, a land so old and bound in oaths that it’s grown a personality as prickly as its owner―Jack, Alan and their allies will become entangled in a night of champagne, secrets, and bloody sacrifice . . . and the foundations of magic in Britain will be torn up by the roots before the end.

"Broken items wanted to be whole". Freya Marske's A Power Unbound sticks the landing with this exhilarating conclusion to the Last Binding trilogy. A new set of main characters takes center stage, but this time the protagonists of the two previous volumes are more entangled with the plot and even undergo more development as this big, queer found family races against time to unveil a plot that could destroy everything.

After the enclosed setting of the second book, we find ourselves once again in England, between estates and magical parliament; we also see poorer parts of the city as Alan, who was introduced in the previous book, is an immigrant with a big family he works hard to support. This allows the book to introduce themes of class and power dynamics that work very well in the general context of the series and give it more depth. The journalist who's secretly a writer of queer erotica finds his perfect partner in bisexual Lord Hawthorn, as the two of them slowly dismantle their walls over the course of the book and a couple of intense sex scenes.

Every loose thread from the first two books is accounted for in this finale that asks questions about family, power, and abuse. The magic is made bigger and more interesting as the roots of power are explained and explored; every character has a moment to shine, from the medium that facilitates a heart-wrenching heart-to-heart with a ghost, to the nobleman who once thought he wasn't as powerful as his peers, from the seer to the powerful actress to the one who got violently torn from his own magic. And then there's Alan, who isn't magical but who can disrupt magic, and the surrounding cast of magicians, friends and foes, enstranged family and abusive brothers, and mothers who'll tear the world apart for their children.

The book weaves a rich tapestry that's much more deeper for its focus on land and contracts, the places where we live that protect us, and the free contracts between two people. It's a honest exploration of unconventional desires, woven together by the books written by Alan and mentioned in the first two installments: a thread that slowly reveals itself and makes the whole series almost a metanarrative.

A Power Unbound is a powerful exploration of love and the ties that bind.

✨ 4 stars

📚📚📚 IF YOU LOVE THIS, YOU MIGHT LIKE:

* The Magpie Lord, by K.J. Charles

for: Edwardian England, power dynamics

List: Best Books of 2023

2024 is coming! Here are my favorite books of this year, with links to my reviews.

 

 

 

✨ 4.5 stars
You can find my review here.

 

 

✨ 4.5 stars
You can find my review here.

 

   ✨ 4.5 stars
    You can find my review here.

 

 

   ✨ 4 stars
   You can find my review here.

 

 

 

✨ 5 stars
You can find my review here.

 

 

 

✨ 4.5 stars
You can find my review here.

 

 

 

✨ 4.5 stars
You can find my review here.

 

 

   ✨ 5 stars
   You can find my review here.

 

 

   ✨ 5 stars
   You can find my review here.

 

 

   ✨ 5 stars
   You can find my review here.

 

 

   ✨ 4.5 stars
   You can find my review here.

Review: All the Hidden Paths, by Foz Meadows

With the plot against them foiled and the city of Qi-Katai in safe hands, Velasin and Caethari have begun to test the waters of their relationship. But the wider political ramifications of their marriage are still playing out across two nations, and all too soon, they’re summoned north to Tithena’s capital city, Qi-Xihan, to present themselves to its monarch. With Caethari newly invested as his grandmother’s heir and Velasin’s old ghosts gnawing at his heels, what little peace they’ve managed to find is swiftly put to the test.
Cae’s recent losses have left him racked with grief and guilt, while Vel struggles with the disconnect between instincts that have kept him safe in secrecy and what an open life requires of him now. Pursued by unknown assailants and with Qi-Xihan’s court factions jockeying for power, Vel and Cae must use all the skills at their disposal to not only survive, but thrive – because there’s more than one way to end an alliance, and more than one person who wants to see them fail.

"We are not tragedies". Foz Meadows' All the Hidden Paths is the surprise sequel to last year's A Strange and Stubborn Endurance, an excellent exploration of abuse and healing that became one of my favorite books of 2022. The first book seemed to be a standalone novel and resolve everything, although it left some threads; these threads are explored beautifully in this sequel, where the question is pretty simple: what next? After facing one's fears and coming out, what is next?

The answer is that of course not everything is finally and magically solved; one has to work through one's issues. Vel struggles for the most part of this novel with his dark thoughts, pulled forth by the turmoil Cae himself is feeling after the events of the first novel. They need to learn to know each other and trust each other, and most importantly, communicate. This novel features a constant push and pull between Velasin's trauma and Caethari's sense of inadequacy that isn't perfectly resolved, setting perhaps the stage for a third book. I would love a final volume in this series; the news of this one sequel had taken me completely by surprise. One can see that there's still material to explore, if the author wanted to.

The mystery is more enticing than the one in the first novel's, less straightforward and thus exciting as the duo, with the help of Vel's valet friend and a reluctant ally, attempt to find the name behind an unnerving number of murder attempts. The appearance of many new characters makes the narration vibrant and well-rounded, with a sharp focus on the intricate politics of the new court setting, building on the rich world-building of the first novel. Caethari and Velasin don't know who to trust, and we are left spinning with possibilities as they navigate such unfamiliar grounds at the same time as they attempt to navigate their relationship and overcome the hurdles coming their way. It's refreshing to see that even despite the conflict building, we never doubt their love for each other. This novel is also definitely spicier than the first, with a good number of sex scenes that range from being intimately sweet to exceedingly intense. Once again, one can only be grateful for the author's decision to put trigger warnings at the beginning of the novel.

Onto the elephant in the room, or rather, the new POV that dominates a few interludes: the character's journey was compelling and his plight made one sympathize with him, but there was perhaps an issue of pacing, where a few more interludes might have been needed to better appreciate his story and how it entwined with the main characters'. As things stand, one finds oneself wanting for more, and his ending especially feels a bit abrupt.

All the Hidden Paths is a stunning sequel that builds on the lovely foundations of the first novel.

✨ 4.5 stars

📚📚📚 IF YOU LOVE THIS, YOU MIGHT LIKE:

* A Taste of Gold and Iron, by Alexandra Rowland

for: anxiety, politics

Snippet: Mammoths at the Gates, by Nghi Vo

The wandering Cleric Chih returns home to the Singing Hills Abbey for the first time in almost three years, to be met with both joy and sorrow. Their mentor, Cleric Thien, has died, and rests among the archivists and storytellers of the storied abbey. But not everyone is prepared to leave them to their rest. Because Cleric Thien was once the patriarch of Coh clan of Northern Bell Pass--and now their granddaughters have arrived on the backs of royal mammoths, demanding their grandfather’s body for burial. Chih must somehow balance honoring their mentor’s chosen life while keeping the sisters from the north from storming the gates and destroying the history the clerics have worked so hard to preserve. But as Chih and their neixin Almost Brilliant navigate the looming crisis, Myriad Virtues, Cleric Thien’s own beloved hoopoe companion, grieves her loss as only a being with perfect memory can, and her sorrow may be more powerful than anyone could anticipate.

"Memory is greater than death". Nghi Vo's Mammoths at the Gates is an exploration of grief and mourning, a novella about how memories can be shaped and how your loved ones are their own people with stories that you don't know. It's a story about change and the need to embrace the unfamiliar, sometimes funny, sometimes poignant; another extraordinary novella in the Singing Hills cycle, with so much to say about the nature of stories.

✨ 4 stars

📚📚📚 IF YOU LOVE THIS, YOU MIGHT LIKE:

* The Heretic's Guite to Homecoming - Theory, by Sienna Tristen

for: the power of stories, healing

Review: Providence Girls, by Morgan Dante

Love changes you. So do the Outer Gods. Alone in a cottage, Lavinia writes to the woman she loved. Fifteen years ago, middle-aged Lavinia Whateley escaped her hilly Massachusetts town when the townsfolk decided to sacrifice her on Halloween. After almost dying in the woods, she's saved and housed by the stoic and mysterious Asenath Waite, or Azzie. On the coastal outskirts of East Providence, they start to fall in love.
However, things change when Azzie, with her secret past and the strange "scars" on the side of her neck, begins to transform into an eldritch creature of the deep.

"To dance fiery and without abandon after you've lost everything". Morgan Dante's Providence Girls is a sapphic horror story that draws heavily from Lovecraftian lore. Brimming with body horror and upsetting imagery, it's a tale of finding comfort and compassion against all odds, of finding solace in companionship. The book starts off with a helpful list of trigger warnings. I don't usually read horror - I'm too much of a scaredy cat - but the plot intrigued me and I told myself it couldn't be that bad. Boy, was I wrong!

Being unfamiliar with Lovecraft, I was wholly unprepared for what was coming, while still being somewhat familiar with the concepts enough that when certain names started dropping, I realized what was going on. Still, I kept reading because the prose is absolutely lovely, filled with stunning turns of phrase; the story is also incredibly compelling. It's set up as an epistolary novel, with an older Lavinia recounting their months together, while Azzie is writing as events unfold, and Lavinia is reading Azzie's words in the present. The format meant that I thought I had the outcome figured out, but I was pleasantly surprised.

For all the unspeakable horror in the story - not just the Lovecraftian horror, but the more mundane horror of domestic abuse - this is such a tender story of resilience and love. It's an ode to healing and overcoming your trauma, and to find body autonomy again.

Providence Girls is a delightful novella, but I wouldn't recommend it if you're squeamish.

✨ 4 stars

📚📚📚 IF YOU LOVE THIS, YOU MIGHT LIKE:

* The Faerie Hounds of York, by Arden Powell

for: body horror, disturbing imagery

Review: A Corruption of Souls, by Taylor Hubbard

Deklyn Delonir , Captain of the Order of the Redemptor and Knight of the Hawkeron Kingdom, has spent his entire life serving his goddess and realm to earn redemption for his past sins. Everything he does is in service to his King and the people under his protection and leadership. For his entire life, Deklyn pushed away the deepest desires of his heart, burying them and praying that they never come to the surface. When his King calls on him for the most important job of his career, one that would put an end to a war against an unknown enemy simply called The Corrupted, Deklyn doesn’t think twice before readily accepting it. Once the job is completed, the war will end and the people Deklyn swore an oath to serve will be safe and the bloodshed will end.
Crown Prince Kai of Hawkeron has never known what freedom feels like. Everything has been lain before him before he was born. Swayed by the whims of a fate outside of his control and duty that is inescapable, Kai doesn’t know who he is. Kai is a political entity, used for his father’s gain. When his father calls on him to fulfill his duty as the Crown Prince, Kai knows he is defeated. He will be sent to a neighboring kingdom to marry its princess to create an alliance that will provide his father’s military with the resources needed to put an end to the war they waged against The Corrupted. Knowing that his failure to complete his duty would lead to the deaths of many people and the annihilation of the Hawkeron Empire, Kai resigns himself to his fate.

"A knight’s oath isn’t something that should be given lightly". Taylor Hubbard's A Corruption of Souls is a standalone romantasy with minimal worldbuilding and a pretty straightforward plot. We have an older honor-bound paladin, a young prince with a duty, and more than half of the book is spent on the journey to get to the kingdom where the prince is going to get married to secure an alliance. To add to the cast there's a second knight escorting the young prince, friend to the paladin and often the voice of reason as the feelings between the prince and the paladin grow into something that cannot be ignored.

The plot truly is minimal. There's an attempt at a twist that could be seen since the first pages, but at least the execution doesn't stumble. The ending is abrupt and doesn't seem to resolve the bigger problems - namely, this kid is going to have to have heirs. His father's treatment of him isn't analysed past a few remarks. The fealty trope, on the other hand, was well-executed, but the age difference made some things uncomfortable. This book is certainly heavier on the romance part than on any kind of worldbuilding, although there were some interesting things with the figure of the paladin's goddess patron.

A Corruption of Souls is a solid romance that could work better with a bit more focus on the fantasy aspect.

✨ 3 stars

📚📚📚 IF YOU LOVE THIS, YOU MIGHT LIKE:

* Reforged, by Seth Haddon

for: fealty, guard/royal romance