Fantasy – Page 3 – Made of Stardust and Stubbornness

“The Spirit Bares Its Teeth” Review

Posted on July 21, 2024October 8, 2024 by Jen

“The Spirit Bares Its Teeth” by Andrew Joseph White

London, 1883. The Veil between the living and dead has thinned. Violet-eyed mediums commune with spirits under the watchful eye of the Royal Speaker Society, and sixteen-year-old Silas Bell would rather rip out his violet eyes than become an obedient Speaker wife. According to Mother, he’ll be married by the end of the year. It doesn’t matter that he’s needed a decade of tutors to hide his autism; that he practices surgery on slaughtered pigs; that he is a boy, not the girl the world insists on seeing.

After a failed attempt to escape an arranged marriage, Silas is diagnosed with Veil sickness—a mysterious disease sending violet-eyed women into madness—and shipped away to Braxton’s Sanitorium and Finishing School. The facility is cold, the instructors merciless, and the students either bloom into eligible wives or disappear. So when the ghosts of missing students start begging Silas for help, he decides to reach into Braxton’s innards and expose its rotten guts to the world—as long as the school doesn’t break him first.

Review

This was such a good book with a lot of great characters besides Silas. While it doesn’t have quite as much gore as the other’s other book, there is some, all with a medical focus this time. I really enjoyed how Silas struggles to work everything out while dealing with everything else going on for him. The plot is very dark and disturbing but I really like how everything plays out. Certain things were not a surprise while others completely were and I really enjoyed it all. And I was really glad a particular plot point was resolved the way it did. The ending is a bit open ended but I think it makes sense given the storyline.

Be sure to take note of the authors warnings at the beginning of the book. Also be sure to read the authors end notes because while this story is fantasy the ugly truth is people always been sent a way because they were deemed unfit by society and many have been experimented on throughout history.

Warnings and additional reviews are available on the StoryGraph page for “The Spirit Bares Its Teeth”.

Book Details

Author’s Website: Andrew Joseph White
Publisher / Date: Peachtree Publishing Company, September 2023
Genre: Historical Fiction, Horror, Young Adult
Page Count: 381
Completion Date: July 21, 2024

“Blood at the Root” Review

Posted on July 20, 2024October 8, 2024 by Jen

“Blood at the Root” by LaDarrion Williams

Ten years ago, Malik’s life changed forever the night his mother mysteriously vanished and he discovered he had uncontrollable powers. Since then, he has kept his abilities hidden, looking out for himself and his younger foster brother, Taye. Now, at 17, Malik is finally ready to start a new life for both of them, far from the trauma of his past. However, a daring act to rescue Taye reveals an unexpected connection with his long-lost grandmother: a legendary conjurer with ties to a hidden magical university that Malik’s mother attended.

At Caiman University, Malik’s eyes are opened to a future he never could have envisioned for himself— one that includes the reappearance of his first love, Alexis. His search for answers about his heritage, his powers, and what really happened to his mother exposes the cracks in their magical community as it faces a reawakened evil dating back to the Haitian Revolution. Together with Alexis, Malik discovers a lot beneath the surface at Caiman: feuding covens and magical politics, forbidden knowledge and buried mysteries.

In a wholly unique saga of family, history and community, Malik must embrace his legacy to save what’s left of his old family as well as his new one. Exploring the roots and secrets that connect us in an unforgettable contemporary setting, this heart-pounding fantasy series opener is a rich tapestry of atmosphere, intrigue, and emotion.

Review

I really enjoyed this book! The characters are all great and there are a lot of interesting things going on. I liked the way Malik tried to look out for his brother while still dealing with going to the university and figuring out what happened with his mom. I liked the way history was described and how Malik was able to learn a lot of things through dreams and visions thanks to magic. There were some confusing parts and I felt like some things could have been explained better, such as how the magic works and what kind of things people can do. Everything felt a little random regarding the magic. There’s definitely a mix of different cultures being used in the book and I’m not sure how well the author does it with (this is something to check other reviews for). I also wasn’t sure if some other issues I did notice were related to the writing or Malik being a teenager with teenage reactions to things. I do think some things could have been improved with a bit more editing and thoughts about how things could be perceived. As to the language and AAVE use I’ve seen some reviews (all from Black people) that say “no one talks like this” and others saying “yes they do” and it probably comes down to where people live and the ages of the people talking. All that said I did enjoy the book and I’m looking forward to where the story goes next.

Warnings and additional reviews are available on the StoryGraph page for “Blood at the Root”.

Book Details

Author’s Website: LaDarrion Williams
Publisher / Date: Labyrinth Road, May 2024
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Page Count: 432
Completion Date: July 20, 2024

“Children of Anguish and Anarchy” Review

Posted on June 30, 2024October 8, 2024 by Jen

“Children of Anguish and Anarchy” (Legacy of Orïsha No. 3) by Tomi Adeyemi

When Zélie seized the royal palace that fateful night, she thought her battles had come to an end. The monarchy finally fell. The maji rose again. Zélie never expected to find herself locked in a cage and trapped on a foreign ship. Now warriors with iron skulls traffic her and her people across the seas, far from their homeland.

But everything changes when Zélie meets King Baldyr, her true captor and the man who has ravaged entire civilizations to find her. The ruler of the Skulls, Baldyr’s quest to harness Zélie’s strength sends Zélie, Amari, and Tzain searching for allies in foreign lands.

But as Baldyr closes in, catastrophe charges Orïsha’s shores. It will take everything Zélie has to face her final enemy and save her people before the Skulls annihilate them for good.

Review

I really enjoyed this book! I didn’t mind the shift in plot away from Orïsha because it made sense there was more going on beyond the borders. I did feel like some ideas could have been built up a little more but the world building was still interesting. The ending did feel a little abrupt but overall I liked the story it told. It’s been a little too long since I read the previous two books so I’m not sure yet how I feel about it as the conclusion to the trilogy. I’ll have to read all three books again at some point.

Warnings and additional reviews are available on the StoryGraph page for “Children of Anguish and Anarchy”.

Book Details

A young black woman is on the cover looking backwards over her shoulder. She is wearing a silver and gold head covering that covers part of her face. The title is shown at the bottom of the cover and the author's name at the top.

Author’s Website: Tomi Adeyemi
Publisher / Date: Henry Holt Books for Young Readers, June 2024
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Page Count: 368
Completion Date: June 29, 2024

“Gideon the Ninth” Review

Posted on June 28, 2024October 8, 2024 by Jen

“Gideon the Ninth” (The Locked Tomb No. 1) by Tamsyn Muir

Brought up by unfriendly, ossifying nuns, ancient retainers, and countless skeletons, Gideon is ready to abandon a life of servitude and an afterlife as a reanimated corpse. She packs up her sword, her shoes, and her dirty magazines, and prepares to launch her daring escape. But her childhood nemesis won’t set her free without a service.

Harrowhark Nonagesimus, Reverend Daughter of the Ninth House and bone witch extraordinaire, has been summoned into action. The Emperor has invited the heirs to each of his loyal Houses to a deadly trial of wits and skill. If Harrowhark succeeds she will be become an immortal, all-powerful servant of the Resurrection, but no necromancer can ascend without their cavalier. Without Gideon’s sword, Harrow will fail, and the Ninth House will die.

Review

I read this for one of my Discord book clubs and it’s ultimately not my cup of tea. I tried to give it a fair chance but the personalities of the main characters and the writing style made it harder to get through than I like. I also ended up needing the Wikipedia for the book series to keep track of all of the characters. All of the characters were referred to by first name, last name, nickname, or sometimes only a description, depending on who was talking and some had similar names, which made it hard to keep track. That said there were some interesting parts, the world building seemed interesting if not fully described, and I did like how the relationship between Gideon and Harrowhark developed despite my frustration with them in the beginning. I don’t believe I’ll continue the series at this time, but you never know.

Warnings and additional reviews are available on the StoryGraph page for “Gideon the Ninth”.

Book Details

Gideon the Ninth book cover showing a person standing holding a sword in one hand wearing all black with red hair and face painted as a skull. They are surrounded by parts of many different skeletons on a black background. The Title of the book is at the bottom with the author's name on top.

Author’s Website: Tamsyn Muir
Publisher / Date: Tor.com, September 2019
Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction
Page Count: 464
Completion Date: June 27, 2024

“Where the Stars Rise” Review

Posted on April 27, 2024October 9, 2024 by Jen

“Where the Stars Rise: Asian Science Fiction and Fantasy” edited by Lucas K. Law and Derwin Mak

Follow twenty-three science fiction and fantasy authors on their journeys through Asia and beyond. Stories that explore magic and science. Stories about love, revenge, and choices. Stories that challenge ideas about race, belonging, and politics. Stories about where we come from and where we are going.

Each wrestling between ghostly pasts and uncertain future. Each trying to find a voice in history.

Orphans and drug-smuggling in deep space. Mechanical arms in steampunk Vancouver. Djinns and espionage in futuristic Istanbul. Humanoid robot in steamy Kerala. Monsters in the jungles of Cebu. Historic time travel in Gyeongbok Palace. A rocket launch in post-apocalyptic Tokyo. A drunken ghost in Song Dynasty China. A displaced refugee skating on an ice planet. And much more.

Embrace them as you take on their journeys. And don’t look back…

Review

Another great collection of short stories. I enjoyed reading the majority of the stories in the book. There were a couple I wasn’t quite sure what was happening and didn’t enjoy as much but they were worth trying them. All of them had interesting ideas and characters. It was interesting seeing the different Asian cultural contexts for the stories and the ways the science fiction and fantasy elements played out. This would be another anthology where it’s important to read the forward and the afterword for some additional context. As always I’ll be checking out all the authors to see what else they’ve written. I’ve already read a book by at least one of the authors, Meru by S.B. Divya – great book.

Warnings and additional reviews are available on the StoryGraph page for “Where the Stars Rise”.

Book Details

The book cover has areas of blue with shades of purple with white lights (stars) scattered around the cover. In the center is a spaceship pointed upwards with a dragon wrapped around it and then extending above facing towards the left. The title of the anthology is at the bottom with the editors names.

Publisher / Website / Date: Laksa Media Groups Inc., October 2017
Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Short Stories
Page Count: 352
Completion Date: April 26, 2024

“Tell Me How It Ends” Review

Posted on April 8, 2024October 9, 2024 by Jen

“Tell Me How It Ends” by Quinton Li

Iris Galacia’s tarot cards do more than entertain gamblers. With the flip of her fingers she can predict the future and uncover a person’s secrets. But under the watchful eye of her mother, she is on thin ice for pursuing a passion in the family business, and then cracks start to form until she eventually she falls through. She is given an ultimatum — a test to prove her worth: earn a thousand coins or leave the business, and the family.

Enter Marin Boudreau, a charming young person who can scale buildings and break off door knobs, who comes for her help to rescue a witch who’s been falsely imprisoned in Excava Kingdom. And Marin is willing to pay a high sum for her talents. But saving a prisoner from royal hands isn’t easy, nor is leaving home for the first time in eighteen years.

Now Iris must learn to trust in herself, Marin, and this new magical world, while racing the clock before the royals decide the fate of the witch, and before any secrets catch up to her.

Review

I’m honestly not sure how I feel about this book because a lot of my issues with it can be explained by it being both a “cozy fantasy” and young adult. I did enjoy some things about it – the characters were interesting and all that. However, conflicts that should have been more serious are resolved almost instantly and with more compassion (from villains) than seems reasonable for anyone. Even the ending of the story with Iris making a choice about what to do next was too easy. Without spoiling too much, Marin never really proves themselves to be trust worthy and Iris feels too sheltered and naive to really be reliable in picking what she should do next. There’s a lot of reasons why she should escape her current life but it doesn’t feel like the found family she found is all that safe either. That said – how I feel about the ending of the book might be more about my personality (and age), along with the genres, than the story itself. One thing I did like was the way the Tarot cards were used in the story – there were a lot of good details about how they worked and how they helped Iris figure out what to do next. Not a series I’ll continue, but honestly if you like cozy fantasy with found family where things are resolved easily it might be more your cup of tea than mine.

Warnings and additional reviews are available on the StoryGraph page for “Tell Me How It Ends”.

Book Details

The book cover is a drawing of a person sitting behind a table with a set of 5 tarot cards that are face up on the table. Everything is various shades of purple.

Author’s Website: Quinton Li
Publisher /Date: Quinton Li Editorial, April 2023
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Page Count: 326
Completion Date: April 7, 2024