TL;DR: A weirdly structured collection of essays and stories. Probably more for the devoted fans of Cixin Liu than anyone else.Source: NetGalley, thank you to the publisher! Collection: As far as a collection, this one felt like a bunch of saved files from a folder with no real collective theme or reason. It was fairly... Continue Reading →
Someone You Can Build A Nest In by John Wiswell
Source: NetGalley, thank you to DAW for the review copy!TL;DR: Wow the abuse was rampant - while this looks cute and quirky I would not recommend it for anyone who doesn’t enjoy borderline trauma porn. Plot: This hinges on Shesheshen's instalove for Homily who is the victim of constant and deep abuse. It was... a... Continue Reading →
A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jenson
Source: Netgalley, thank you to the publisher!TL;DR: If you enjoy Romantasy you’ll probably enjoy this, if you want nuance or depth maybe go elsewhere. Plot: A young woman is used for her power. Pretty much it.Characters: Fairly two dimensional? Freya felt very familiar and everyone else filled their roles nicelySetting: A fantasy world that had... Continue Reading →
Redsight by Meredith Mooring
Source: Netgalley, thank you to the publisher!TL;DR: Though this didn't make a lot of sense it was still interesting enough for me to read through. I'm also unsure as to the audience for this, a YA tone with very dark moments Plot: A very weak red witch becomes very powerful and is caught up between... Continue Reading →
The Stars Undying by Emery Lord
Source: NetGalley & owned - Thank you to the publisher TL;DR: I feel so bland on this. Meandering, with what should have been stellar themes and ideas. But little to no connection for the reader. Plot: Supposedly a Julius Caesar and Cleopatra inspired story, it's the story of a civil war, turned assassination/revenge story. Things... Continue Reading →
An Education in Malice by S.T. Gibson
Source: Netgalley - Many thanks to the publisher!TL;DR: A worthy follow-up to A Dowry in Blood. Even with a slightly predictable ending I really enjoyed this. Plot: The classic Carmilla remixed. Laura and Carmilla are rivals in a poetry course, it was believable and engrossing.Characters: Really loved these over the top and flawed characters (though... Continue Reading →
The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia A. McKillip
Source: Tachyon Press - Thank you so much for the arc!!TL;DR: A OG Romantasy in my opinion. A fantasy that focuses on the idea of love, in it’s myriad of forms, and a powerful woman. Loved this one. Plot: Sybel gets caught between the boy she raised, the man she loves and the wars of... Continue Reading →
The Princess Protection Program by Alex London
Source: Netgalley - Many thank to the publisher!!TL;DR: An unexpectedly fun little fairy tale twist. Look forward to princesses with attitude and fair godmothers who hate their jobs. Plot: Rosamund must figure out this new place she's in and why, and figure out how to escape the Uponatimes. It has some unexpected twists along the... Continue Reading →
The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
Source: Netgalley - Thank you so much to the publisher for reaching out to me!TL;DR: Such a slow build but I really think it was worth it. A Holmesian mystery with lots of fantasy and plant magic/science! Plot: This was slow. It started with a single gruesome murder and evolved to a bigger, empire risking... Continue Reading →
Waiting for the Flood by Alexis Hall
Source: NetGalley - Thank you to Forever!TL;DR: I really enjoyed the first novella in this collection but the second one didn’t connect for me in a great way. Plot: Two stories, one of Edwin who is recovering after his divorce from Marius. And then Marius's story who is just... the worst.Characters: Edwin was sweet and... Continue Reading →