Source: NetGalley, Thank you to the publisher for the eArc!!TL;DR: A pretty good wrap-up to a duology, but with some real unnecessary sexual content. Plot: The courts came together in this one and we finally saw the Night Empress's story which I enjoyed.Characters: I wish we'd gotten more of some of our secondary characters but... Continue Reading →
Lake of Souls by Ann Leckie
Source: NetGalley - Many thanks to the publisher!TL;DR: A really fantastic collection, some more challenging than others but nearly all were winners for me. Plot: Each plot was well drawn and worked within the confines of the story. Ann Leckie has a real knack for short stories.Characters: A good variety of characters existed here, all... 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 →
These Fragile Graces, This Fugitive Heart by Izzy Wasserstein
Source: NetGalley - Many thanks to the publisher!TL;DR: Some weird choices were made here, but I didn't dislike my time. I would definitely read more from the author. Plot: A transwoman returns to her former home, a commune of anarchists to solve the murder of an old ex. Clones start popping up!Characters: The entirety of... Continue Reading →
That Time I Got Drunk and Saved A Human by Kimberly Lemming
Source: Netgalley - Thank you so much to Orbit!TL;DR: Another fun entry in this series (made especially so by the lack of drunkenness and abundance of being drugged) Plot: Dante, a character we've met previously in this series sets off on his own to find a mate and some quiet. He finds one of those... Continue Reading →
Fathomfolk by Eliza Chan
Source: Netgalley - many thanks to Orbit for the review copy!TL;DR: Full of promising themes and a beautiful world, however cold and distant characters truly killed the story. Plot: An actually fantastic idea - Fathomfolk (water dwelling folk) and human politics coming to a head.Characters: I've met cardboard cutouts more interesting than these characters. Big... Continue Reading →
Kindling by Traci Chee
Source: Netgalley - Thank you so much the publisher. I actually pre-ordered this on finishing it.TL;DR: I loved this. The unique narration style, the characters, everything was so good. Plot: Seven Samurai but make it magical and change the genders. It was fantastic. Loved the tightness and brutality of it.Characters: I loved all these girls.... 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 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 →