ARC Review: The Witch Who Chases the Sun, by Dawn Chen

A decade after the war that resulted in the death of someone important to them both, the Aixauhan Alchemist Cai-Li Ying seeks out to rekindle their relationship with her estranged lover, the Inabrian Oracle, Anne Barberry. However, a lot has changed in the past decade. Anne barricades herself in the Castle on a hill where her family‘s dark secrets lie. Chely has gained the reputation of being the Blood Hawk, who dabbles in dark magic, much to Anne’s disgust. Rumors has it that Anne herself is responsible for the disappearance of visitors who went to the Castle.
Other things are happening as the two witches reunite. Old ghosts come back to haunt them. People they know from the war come and go. Scars left by the war does not easily fade. Are they truly each other's salvation, or are they doomed to repeat the past that tore them apart?

Thank you to the author for providing the e-arc. This book is set to be published on October 1st, 2025.

Dawn Chen's The Witch Who Chases the Sun is a poignant reflection on the horrors of war and the grief of loss, drawing from Chinese myth to build a beautiful anti-colonial epic. It takes a while for the reader to get used to the mixture of past and present tense that defies expectation, undoubtedly an interesting choice to narrate the book; once one gets in the swing of things, though, the peculiar narration is not so strange. Another compelling aspect of the language used is the choice to employ chinese ideograms and sayings, without worrying about holding the reader's hand. This helps convey the racism and imperialism as we see how much the Aixauhan characters are forced to conform.

Cai-Li and Anne are complex and compelling, their relationship both sweet and intense as we get to see various stages of their lives. They're flawed characters, heroes and avengers, killers and saviors, with complex agendas that are not so easily anticipated. In fact, the twists and turns of this book are delightful and gasp-worthy. Their relationship mirrors in a way the cycle of violence brought on by war, but you never get the sense that there is no love, even when things appear grim. While this isn't a romantasy, readers might approach it with the expectation of a traditional HEA, and I will warn that while the ending is beautiful and hopeful and just perfect, perfectly encapsulating the world of the story, it very much is not HEA.

The cast is enriched by three other characters, two of which I'm hesitant to call merely side characters. Cole and Ark are just as well-rounded as the main two, driven by their own past, complex and terrible and so easy to empathize with. Their arcs intertwine and juxtapose with each other's and with the main characters, creating beautiful layers and intricate webs of honor, understanding, sacrifice, and forgiveness.

The worldbuilding is vivid, deftly painting the conflict between two nations inspired by England and China. The Chinese equivalent especially is expertly woven, showing the complexity of different etnic groups within the community.

The Witch Who Chases the Sun is a compelling tragedy.

✨ 4 stars

Snippet: The Wizard and the Welshman, by Laura Rayndrop

London, December 1886. A woman is gruesomely murdered, a mysterious organ missing from her cracked-open chest. Investigating the case, Kensington’s top inspector, Hal Hawthorne, quickly discovers that the victim wasn't human—and neither is her killer. When he saves the captivating wizard November from becoming the next target, Hal is thrust into a world of nightmarish creatures and dark magic. But the deeper Hal becomes entangled in the case, the more he comes to believe that November isn’t just a wizard with mind-bending powers, but also holds the key to unraveling the web of dark magic and murder.
Can Hal solve the case and protect November, or will the murderer claim him and destroy Hal’s life forever? And what will Hal have to sacrifice to stop the killings and save the man he’s come to love?

“Every person who entered a crime scene took something from it.”

Laura Rayndrop's The Wizard and the Welshman is a cozy way to start the new year, a romantasy mystery featuring a no-nonsense cop with a painful past, a male sex worker with a secret, and a chaotic world-building. The mystery at the heart of the story is a series of gruesome murders; to solve the case, the cop will have to tangle himself with a magical underworld he had no idea existed. The story is pretty simple in its beats, but simple is good sometimes. The worldbuilding is where it falls flat, with a plethora of magical beings all lumped together and no clear worldbuilding. This is balanced by a heartfelt exploration of child trauma and homophobia, culminating in a precious moment at the end. This book is the first in a trilogy.

✨ 3.5 stars

Review: A Wolf Steps in Blood, by Tamara Jerée

Yasmine is a red wolf girl stuck in rural Alabama. Her world is small: pick up shifts at the greasy late-night diner and endure her pack’s petty squabbles. She’s not good at being a wolf or being human, directionless in life and disconnected from her ancestors. Blessed by a century-old enchantment, the local red wolves have escaped extinction by blending into the human world. But with the old witches’ blessing wearing thin, the wolves face an uncertain future.
An answer arrives in the form of an exiled blood witch whose magic is steeped in reckless grief. Kalta rides into town in her dead brother’s truck, prophecy following on her heels. Despite the danger Yasmine can smell swirling around the witch, a fated bond tangles their futures—and those of all the wolves.

"I want to tear out the throat of the world."

Tamara Jerée's A Wolf Steps in Blood is a sweet novella about a werewolf finding her place in her pack, seeking peace in her shifting, and meeting her fated mate. When a witch hiding a painful secret passes through, the two form a bond that defies all logic and allows Jasmine to grow, reclaim her ancestry, and try and mend her family too.

The lovely and evocative prose carries the reader through the quick adventure as the pair find companionship, learn to navigate their relationship, and find closure and a sense of belonging. The worldbuilding is minimal, but it gets the work done. This is a quick palate cleanser between heavier reads.

A Wolf Steps in Blood is a quiet beauty.

✨ 3.5 stars

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

Snippet: The Shadow Cabinet, by Juno Dawson

Niamh Kelly is dead. Her troubled twin, Ciara, now masquerades as the benevolent witch as Her Majesty's Royal Coven prepares to crown her High Preistess. Suffering from amnesia, Ciara can't remember what she's done--but if she wants to survive, she must fool Niamh's adopted family and friends; the coven; and the murky Shadow Cabinet--a secret group of mundane civil servants who are already suspicious of witches. While she tries to rebuild her past, she realizes none of her past has forgotten her, including her former lover, renegade warlock Dabney Hale.
On the other end of the continent, Leonie Jackman is in search of Hale, rumored to be seeking a dark object of ultimate power somehow connected to the upper echelons of the British government. If the witches can't figure out Hale's machinations, and fast, all of witchkind will be in grave danger--along with the fate of all (wo)mankind.

"You've taken things apart and put them back together". Juno Dawson's The Shadow Cabinet is a good sequel that build on the excellent first book to create another solid, funny, and poignant reflection on feminism, intersectionalism, and incel-like groups. The plot thickens and consequences are reaped; twists and turns keep you on the edge of your seat. This was a page-turner that I devoured in one sitting. The lovely wlw couple from the first book gets some excellent focus.

✨ 4 stars

Review: Lava Red Feather Blue, by Molly Ringle

Awakening the handsome prince is supposed to end the fairy tale, not begin it. But the Highvalley witches have rarely done things the way they're supposed to. On the north Pacific island of Eidolonia, hidden from the world by enchantments, Prince Larkin has lain in a magical sleep since 1799 as one side of a truce between humans and fae. That is, until Merrick Highvalley, a modern-day witch, discovers an old box of magic charms and cryptic notes hidden inside a garden statue.
Experimenting with the charms, Merrick finds himself inside the bower where Larkin lies, and accidentally awakens him. Worse still, releasing Larkin from the spell also releases Ula Kana, a faery bent on eradicating humans from the island. With the truce collapsing and hostilities escalating throughout the country, Merrick and Larkin form an unlikely alliance and become even unlikelier heroes as they flee into the perilous fae realm on a quest to stop Ula Kana and restore harmony to their island.

"Being interesting keeps you alive longer in there". Molly Ringle's Lava Red Feather Blue is a standalone fantasy adventure with a fairy-tale feel and a modern twist. Set in our time, but on a hidden island in the Pacific, it's a sweet tale of love and sacrifice, about the machinations of power and about finding common ground. The ending, after the tension is expertly built up, feels a bit rushed, but it manages to stick the landing.

The cast is huge and varied, but the two POV characters shine. They're two vivid and believable figures, one a bit of a troublemaker, the other bound by duty; they clash and merge so beautifully. Merrick is only looking for a way to save his father when he stumbles upon the ancient curse keeping his island safe from danger; Larkin struggles when he suddenly finds himself waking up in the future, everyone he knew dead, with a heavy burden. Their relationship proceeds gradually, as they don't have time for affairs when they're racing against time to save their island. The second half of the novel is where they're really put to the test, with all sorts of trials and dangers.

The world-building was done beautifully. This is a lush paradise hidden from view, the last refuge of the fairies driven away from the rest of the world. The cohabitation isn't easy, and there are grudges on both sides, and clear lines of separation. Humans can't cross the border, for there are many dangers in the parts of the island inhabited by faeries. The fairies are strange and dangerous, and time spent in their land passes differently; it's not an otherworld, it's still on the island's territory, but the rules are different there. Living on the island has also rendered the humans magical and capable of inheriting three different types of magic; and there are half-fae characters, born from unions between humans and fairies.

The contrast with the modern world makes the novel even more interesting, especially with Larkin and his confusion at electricity and the internet. The island isn't cut out from the rest of the world; people from the island can travel elsewhere and come back, or decide to stay away. Progress reached the island too, and was adapted to the magical environment. This lent the novel a unique feel that I really enjoyed. The novel also features poems from Merrick's father, who's ailing from a curse caused by his stay in the fairy lands.

Lava Red Feather Blue is a refreshing take on a Sleeping Beauty premise.

✨ 4 stars

Review: Witchmark, by C.L. Polk

Magic marked Miles Singer for suffering the day he was born, doomed either to be enslaved to his family's interest or to be committed to a witches' asylum. He went to war to escape his destiny and came home a different man, but he couldn’t leave his past behind. The war between Aeland and Laneer leaves men changed, strangers to their friends and family, but even after faking his own death and reinventing himself as a doctor at a cash-strapped veterans' hospital, Miles can’t hide what he truly is.
When a fatally poisoned patient exposes Miles’ healing gift and his witchmark, he must put his anonymity and freedom at risk to investigate his patient’s murder. To find the truth he’ll need to rely on the family he despises, and on the kindness of the most gorgeous man he’s ever seen.

"Amaranthines had no choice but to speak the truth, so they lied with honest words". C.L. Polk's Witchmark is a cozy fantasy mystery with a steampunk feel that delves into PTSD and classism. It's the first book in a trilogy, but it works well enough as a stand-alone novel; the protagonists fade into the background in the two sequels, that focus on different characters seen here. This is a debut, and it shows in the writing.

The plot follows the protagonist's attempts to find out what is happening in his country and to escape the clutches of his family, while also having a cute romance with a gentleman that is more than he seems. The most engaging part was the conflict with the system of the families of mages, that control the weather at the cost of enslaving less powerful witches in their families, while low-born witches are committed to asylums while the general public seems to have no clue that magic does exist. This conflict meshed well with the mystery that was set up, and the struggles of soldiers coming home took also center stage in the narrative. But the world isn't really well-developed, and the conflict with another nation is never explained well, until we get to a rushed finale that sets up bigger things with very little preparation.

While matters unfold, Miles also has the time to pursue a relationship with the mysterious man helping him. The romance is very cute and sweet and charming; it feels a bit like insta-love, but it works well in the context of the story. This book however seems very focused on the aesthetic, more than anything else. There's bikes and waistcoats and carriages and it feels more like they're there for the vibes, than for some actual world-building. There is character development, and an interesting journey, but the only character who is explored with any depth is the protagonist, and while he really is explored well, his sister and his romantic interest are more like cardboard figures.

Having also recently read Polk's most recent story, I'd say the author hasn't changed much over the years. The ideas are fascinating, but the execution feels lacking. While I'm mildly intrigued to know how the trilogy continues, I might wait a while before tackling it.

Witchmark is a cozy fantasy mystery for a quick, easy read.

✨ 3.5 stars

Review: Mortal Follies, by Alexis Hall

It is the year 1814 and Miss Maelys Mitchelmore finds her entry into the highest society of Bath hindered by an irritating curse. It begins innocuously enough, with her dress slowly unmaking itself over the course of an evening at the ball of the season, a scandal she only narrowly manages to escape. However, as the curse progresses to more fatal proportions, she realises she must seek out urgent assistance, even if that means mixing with the most undesirable company-and there are few less desirable allies than the brooding Lady Georgiana Landrake-who may or may not have murdered her own father and brothers to inherit their fortune. If one is to believe the gossip, she might be some kind of malign enchantress. Then again, a malign enchantress might be exactly what Miss Mitchelmore needs.

"A woman who lifts her own curses is a witch". Alexis Hall's Mortal Follies is a queer Regency romance with an unexpected narrator that I personally loved: Puck, or Robin, straight from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Forced to stay in the mortal world due to a transgression, Robin chooses to pay the bills by writing books about the many things he saw happen over his long life, and his narration constatly breaks the fourth wall in hilarious ways.

So we follow Maelys as she struggles against a curse set on her by a mysterious foe, and as she meets the devilish duke Georgiana and decides to put her faith in the mysterious witch. We meet witches, goblins, nymphs, and a goddess, as Maelys races against time to find a solution before she winds up dead or worse. All the while, Maelys cannot help feeling from the start a strong attraction to the duke, and their back-and-forth is exquisite.

In addition to the duke, Maelys has assistance from her cousin, a gentleman who loves other gentlemen, often the voice of reason, and from her best friend, an ingenue with hidden depths, who is enthusiastic and full of life and launches herself at things. The trio's banter is hilarious, but there's also more serious moments. I'm also in love with the prose, filled with conventions and turns of phrase of the time as the author satirises the genre - with many gentle jabs at classics - while also crafting an excellent romance.

The fantastical elements are well-woven into the tale, with two different curses coming into play and a clever denouement that definitely seems to set up for a sequel or a series. I'd give my firstborn for another book narrated by Robin.

Mortal Follies is a delightful romance with a unique voice.

✨ 4 stars

Review: Witch King, by Martha Wells

 

After being murdered, his consciousness dormant and unaware of the passing of time while confined in an elaborate water trap, Kai wakes to find a lesser mage attempting to harness Kai’s magic to his own advantage. That was never going to go well. But why was Kai imprisoned in the first place? What has changed in the world since his assassination? And why does the Rising World Coalition appear to be growing in influence?
Kai will need to pull his allies close and draw on all his pain magic if he is to answer even the least of these questions. He’s not going to like the answers.

"Don’t let everything we fought for be for nothing". Martha Wells' Witch King is a standalone novel which alternates between two timelines: on the one set in the past, we follow the body-hopping demon Kai as he joins a revolution and possibly finds himself some love in one of his partners, a noble. The other timeline follows the present as he wakes up from being imprisoned and tries to understand what's happening while saving his friends, among which there are a witch who controls the winds, and her kidnapped wife.

The world-building is pretty intricate and layered; the information isn't spoon-fed, but the reader is immersed in the world with no kind of hand-holding, trusted to gather all relevant information. Not everything is explained, but there's enough to go by and have a sense of the world. The magic system seems fascinating and complex and there's a lot of interesting things going on. It's a solid fantasy adventure with a dash of mystery.

But it feels a bit like soulless homework. Everything goes like clockwork and we have many moving parts and many characters and it's clever, but it lacks heart. We're told that it's a found family story and we see the characters as they met, a human lifetime ago, and as they're in the present, but there's a sort of disconnect. The witch and her wife are never shown together in the present, not even for a small reunion, and in general the ending was pretty rushed after there was so much focus on everything that was happening.

The better-developed relationship was the one between Kai and the noble Bashasa. You get the sense that there's a growing affection, and in the present Bashasa is often on Kai's mind. There's more nuance there, more than with Kai's friendship with the witch Ziede, which is still the one that gets more screentime despite this. And I get it; it's a bit of a historical mystery, inside the novel, whether Bashasa and his demon were in a relationship, and we're left with that question too. But the rest of the cast falls flat despite the numerous quips.

Witch King is a solid fantasy novel for fans of Martha Wells.

✨ 3.5 stars

Review: The Soulstealers, by Jacqueline Rohrbach

 

Arnaka Skytree grew up believing she was chosen to bring new magic to the world. As the heir to the cult of druids responsible for keeping their floating palace habitable for the wealthy aristocracy, she’s expected to wield her power as those before her did: by culling the souls of peasant women.
But when Arnaka learns more about the source of her magic, and that her best friend’s soul will be harvested, she embarks on a journey to end the barbarous practice and to restore a long-forgotten harmonious system of magic practiced by the original druids. Along the way, she discovers she’s not the only girl chosen to restore balance to their world—many others have powerful magic inside, and with them, she will tear the floating palace from the sky so everyone can live in the sun—out of the shadow of the eclipse.

The premise was definitely interesting. Jacqueline Rohrbach's The Soulstealers is a well written Young Adult novel that nonetheless doesn't quite deliver, an intriguing and dark tale whose lukewarm delivery doesn't do it justice, juvenile at times despite the subject matter. There's so much to explore: the conflict between mother and daughter, brother and sister, between classes, between sexes. Occasionally, gems shine through; but on the whole it feels scholastic, unearned. The brutality of the magic system is almost glossed over after an explosive first chapter and the occasional moving reminder, with the narrative taking big leaps in time that don't help matters. By the end, I wasn't even sure of the protagonist's age.

Amidst the war for freedom and peace, the romance bit came out of left field, a sort of enemy-to-friends-to-lovers that progressed way too quickly to be satisfying. I enjoyed more the growing friendship between Arnaka and her servant, along with the glimpses we got of Arnaka's friendship with the girl who would have to become her sacrifice. We also got asexual representation, with one (1) line about not wanting to kiss anyone, and the matter is then swept away. If you want to read this book because of the alleged asexual representation, which is what I wanted to do, I'm afraid this isn't the book for you.

The Soulstealers is a good fantasy book for a young reader with little experience.

✨ 3 stars

Review: The Raven and the Reindeer, by T. Kingfisher

 

When Gerta’s friend Kay is stolen away by the mysterious Snow Queen, it’s up to Gerta to find him. Her journey will take her through a dangerous land of snow and witchcraft, accompanied only by a bandit and a talking raven. Can she win her friend’s release, or will following her heart take her to unexpected places?

What a lovely way to begin the new year! T. Kingfisher's The Raven and the Reindeer is a perfect retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s "Snow Queen", drawing on the original but giving it its own spin, adding more depth and grounding it more to reality while also enriching the supernatural aspects of the fairy tale. At a little more than 200 pages, it's a delightful novella that ends with the timeless simplicity of fairy tales, giving the reader just enough information to glimpse the happily ever after.

The book truly shines in the worldbuilding: there are talking animals - each species with such distinctive voices - and stunning bits of sacrificial magic, and two long passages about the deep connections of roots and plants and their dark, hungry power; but, also, their gentleness. Gerta moves about with her big heart and her simple kindness, gathering allies all the while and almost losing herself in the reindeer skin. There's a brutality in some scenes, eerie and necessary; in the butchering, in the knife freeing her every night.

Her relationship with Janna, a nameless servant in the original, develops organically enough. There's perhaps a touch of discomfort in the beginning, when Gerta is held captive, but the author is quick to move on and show the differences with Gerta's hopeless infuatation of Kai. Like in the original, Kai doesn't have a heart and treats her abysmally, but here it's not anyone's fault but his own; he's just a standoffish, cruel kid, more interested in his puzzles. Janna is a well-rounded character, not perfect but certainly kinder, with a dark past of her own that gives her depth.

The Raven and the Reindeer is a great retelling of a cult classic, better than the original.

✨ 3.5 stars

Review: Miranda in Milan, by Katharine Duckett

 

After the tempest, after the reunion, after her father drowned his books, Miranda was meant to enter a brave new world. Naples awaited her, and Ferdinand, and a throne. Instead she finds herself in Milan, in her father’s castle, surrounded by hostile servants who treat her like a ghost. Whispers cling to her like spiderwebs, whispers that carry her dead mother’s name. And though he promised to give away his power, Milan is once again contorting around Prospero’s dark arts.
With only Dorothea, her sole companion and confidant to aid her, Miranda must cut through the mystery and find the truth about her father, her mother, and herself.

Full fathom five thy father lies. Katharine Duckett's Miranda in Milan attempts to be a sequel to the fascinating Shakespearean play The Tempest. After arriving in Milan, Miranda finds herself lost in an intricate web of lies with the sole help of one of her maids. The mystery behind the whispers following her everywhere, when solved, is by far the best part of the novella, with an intriguing twist on the classical characters.

The pacing is uneven, likely due to the short format. The relationships between Miranda and Dorothea develops far too quickly, not giving the reader a moment to breathe. But Dorothea is a fascinating character, unwilling to be shackled, and there are particularly good moments where she puts into question Miranda's sheltered worldview, challenging her racism.

Miranda in Milan is a good read for anyone who wants a queer take on the play.

✨ 3.5 stars

Review: The Midnight Girls, by Alicia Jasinska

 

It's Karnawał season in the snow-cloaked Kingdom of Lechija, and from now until midnight when the church bells ring an end to Devil's Tuesday time will be marked with wintry balls and glittery disguises, cavalcades of nightly torch-lit "kuligi" sleigh-parties.
Unbeknownst to the oblivious merrymakers, two monsters join the fun, descending upon the royal city of Warszów in the guise of two innocent girls. Newfound friends and polar opposites, Zosia and Marynka seem destined to have a friendship that's stronger even than magic. But that's put to the test when they realize they both have their sights set on Lechija's pure-hearted prince. A pure heart contains immeasurable power and Marynka plans to bring the prince's back to her grandmother in order to prove herself. While Zosia is determined to take his heart and its power for her own.

This was an entertaining read. Alicia Jasinska's The Midnight Girls is intriguing, with three servant girls to three different aspects of Baba Yaga; the novel is stronger when it explores the interpersonal relationships between the three characters. But this slow-paced Young Adult novel ultimately fails to keep up with its good premise, and the romance between two of the servants, while well-developed enough, still feels rushed to the detriment of the whole structure.

The prose is gorgeous, though, and the world is lush and interesting, inspired by Polish history and by its struggle with Russia. I enjoyed the fact that the girls were unapologetically monsters and the villains of the story, but I would have liked their servitude to be explored more. One of the Yaga is underdeveloped and so is her servant, a consequence of the girl being neither a POV character or neither half of the love story. It's a mistake, because she seems to be the stronger character of the three, with a revealed backstory that piqued my interest, but we got only crumbs.

It is a solid book, though; one merely needs to readjust their expectations.

The Midnight Girls has an incredibly good premise but fails to strongly deliver.

✨ 3 stars

Review: Her Majesty's Royal Coven, by Juno Dawson

 

At the dawn of their adolescence, on the eve of the summer solstice, four young girls--Helena, Leonie, Niamh and Elle--took the oath to join Her Majesty's Royal Coven, established by Queen Elizabeth I as a covert government department. Now, decades later, the witch community is still reeling from a civil war and Helena is now the reigning High Priestess of the organization. Yet Helena is the only one of her friend group still enmeshed in the stale bureaucracy of HMRC. Elle is trying to pretend she's a normal housewife, and Niamh has become a country vet, using her powers to heal sick animals. In what Helena perceives as the deepest betrayal, Leonie has defected to start her own more inclusive and intersectional coven, Diaspora. And now Helena has a bigger problem. A young warlock of extraordinary capabilities has been captured by authorities and seems to threaten the very existence of HMRC. With conflicting beliefs over the best course of action, the four friends must decide where their loyalties lie: with preserving tradition, or doing what is right.

This isn't just a witchy tale. Juno Dawson's Her Majesty's Royal Coven is brimming with discussions of gender and intersectionality that enrich the narration and make it a unique story. The major conflict of the story reveals itself at the halfway point, turning an already interesting storyline about fate and fatalism into a heartfelt defense of the right to be what we are. I won't name the transgender character because their identity isn't mentioned in the summary and the story is constructed in such a way to make it an earth-shattering reveal, but I have to note that I had accidentally spoiled myself and yet that knowledge made the experience of reading the first half much more poignant.

The once tight-knit group of friends at the center of the narration is made up of well-rounded, flawed characters. Their relationship is at times fraught, but always bound by the shared trauma of a past war which is very much still present, simmering in the background and sometimes steering their choices. Of the four named in the summary, Helena and Niamh take pretty much center stage, their actions driving the book to its brutal conclusion. One could hope the other two will feature much more in the next book: Elle's side-plot has some thorny complexities; Leonie's coven needs to be fleshed out more. Leonie's wlw relationship also took the backseat against the focused plot. But there were tender moments, and conflict, and it seems to be setting up for a bigger spotlight.

I must warn that the narrative is firmly set in our present. Something in the summary made me think it would be set in the past, and I saw I wasn't the only reader thinking that, so it bears warning. I loved the backstory, the history of the coven going back to Elizabeth I and her mother. I'm definitely biased because I love Elizabeth I, but it seemed like the perfect starting point for the narrative. The book also strongly reminds me of the Freeform series Motherland: Fort Salem, which is a plus as far as I'm concerned.

The book features a transphobic character who is pretty vocal about their hate, so one should proceed with caution.

Her Majesty's Royal Coven is a moving journey that isn't afraid to pull any punches.

✨ 4 stars

Review: Wild and Wicked Things, by Francesca May

 

On Crow Island, people whisper, real magic lurks just below the surface. Neither real magic nor faux magic interests Annie Mason. Not after it stole her future. She’s only on the island to settle her late father’s estate and, hopefully, reconnect with her long-absent best friend, Beatrice, who fled their dreary lives for a more glamorous one. Yet Crow Island is brimming with temptation, and the biggest one may be her enigmatic new neighbor. Mysterious and alluring, Emmeline Delacroix is a figure shadowed by rumors of witchcraft. And when Annie witnesses a confrontation between Bea and Emmeline at one of the island's extravagant parties, she is drawn into a glittering, haunted world. A world where the boundaries of wickedness are tested, and the cost of illicit magic might be death.

'Tis the season of Great Gatsby retellings. Much like last year's The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo, Wild and Wicked Things by Francesca May is marketed as a queer, witchy take on the American classic - but I fail to see the parallels. Yes, the story is set in the appropriate time period, there's a house whose owner is mysterious enough, they're on an island, and wild parties abound. But the similarities, I think, end there. That said, the book is delightful. It works best if one doesn’t think too hard about the supposed inspiration and simply lets the story speak for itself. It’s a packed adventure that isn’t afraid to take its time; every beat serves its purpose, even in its moments of stillness.

First and foremost, it’s a book about sisterhood and the bonds we form in a traumatic setting. The relationship between Emmeline and her longtime companions is deep and heartbreaking. The friendship between Annie and Beatrice, shadowed by a tragic loss, is no less compelling. This is a book with deeply flawed characters, which can be a risk, but Francesca May manages to strike a balance. Emmeline in particular was fascinating, a study in contrasts, although I would have liked her gender nonconformity to be more explored.

This is a dark novel with dark themes, abuse and sexual assault among them; Emmeline uses sacrificial blood magic, and such magic has a price.

I found the romance not as developed as I would have liked; then again, with such a packed plot, it might be expected. The mutual fascination between Emmeline and Annie is explored, but I got the feeling that it wouldn’t have taken that form if not for their link.

What I really loved was Annie’s journey; seeing her coming into her own and realizing her queerness, in every sense of the word, and accepting herself.

✨ 3.5 stars