Tag: genre: fantasy

• Book Review: Queen of the Conquered by Kacen Callender

  Posted at 2:47 pm by Laura, on May 3, 2020

  Queen of the Conquered by Kacen Callender

  Publisher: Orbit
  Published: November 2019
  Genre: fantasy
  ISBN: 9780316454933
  Rating: ★★★.5

  An ambitious young woman with the power to control minds seeks vengeance against the royals who murdered her family, in a Caribbean-inspired fantasy world embattled by colonial oppression.

  Sigourney Rose is the only surviving daughter of a noble lineage on the islands of Hans Lollik. When she was a child, her family was murdered by the islands’ colonizers, who have massacred and enslaved generations of her people—and now, Sigourney is ready to exact her revenge.

  When the childless king of the islands declares that he will choose his successor from amongst eligible noble families, Sigourney uses her ability to read and control minds to manipulate her way onto the royal island and into the ranks of the ruling colonizers. But when she arrives, prepared to fight for control of all the islands, Sigourney finds herself the target of a dangerous, unknown magic.

  Someone is killing off the ruling families to clear a path to the throne. As the bodies pile up and all eyes regard her with suspicion, Sigourney must find allies among her prey and the murderer among her peers… lest she become the next victim.

  Difficult, compelling, rage-filled, complex, vengeful, powerful… This was the first book I read in 2020, and I started with a bang.

  This novel is full of unflinching rage and complexity on colonialism, power, and revenge. I am aware of my own privilege and the history of my race and the horrors and atrocities we committed, so this was a difficult pill to swallow but one I’m glad to have done.

  Beautiful writing—haunting, even—and great world building inspired by the Danish control of the Virgin Islands. Sigourney’s character was a bit passive amidst all the action and uninterested in the mystery of who was killing off all the kongelig, but her rage and moral complexity was strong as hell. I found this to be a character-driven novel with lots of intricate political intrigue and background detail going on. I’m interested in Løren’s POV in the next book, and what will come as a result.

  More than anything, diverse books are wonderful in sharing another’s view, and they also shed light on my disappointing lack of knowledge of the world. At least in American curriculum, the majority of our history lessons focus on white history, the successes of our power. We are not taught—unless we take an elective in college, and even then it’s likely white-centric—of the horrors and atrocities that having such power brought.

  Callender handles these complexities so well in this novel—what would an oppressed person do if given that power, but is not respected by others in power or those who are also oppressed?—exploring the ambiguity of what it means to walk that fine line. The terrible things Sigourney sees, does, and hears about are truths of our history, and we must face them head on too.

  This qualifies for my TBR & genre challenge!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2020 | 1 Comment | Tagged book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: fantasy, review

• Book Review: “The Harp of Kings” by Juliet Marillier (ARC)

  Posted at 7:45 am by Laura, on October 24, 2019

  The Harp of Kings by Juliet Marillier

  Publisher: Ace
  Published: September 2019
  Genre: fantasy
  ISBN: 9780451492784
  Rating: ★★★★

  Eighteen-year-old Liobhan is a powerful singer and an expert whistle player. Her brother has a voice to melt the hardest heart, and a rare talent on the harp. But Liobhan’s burning ambition is to join the elite warrior band on Swan Island. She and her brother train there to compete for places, and find themselves joining a mission while still candidates. Their unusual blend of skills makes them ideal for this particular job, which requires going undercover as traveling minstrels. For Swan Island trains both warriors and spies.

  Their mission: to find and retrieve a precious harp, an ancient symbol of kingship, which has gone mysteriously missing. If the instrument is not played at the upcoming coronation, the candidate will not be accepted and the people could revolt. Faced with plotting courtiers and tight-lipped druids, an insightful storyteller, and a boorish Crown Prince, Liobhan soon realizes an Otherworld power may be meddling in the affairs of the kingdom. When ambition clashes with conscience, Liobhan must make a bold decision and is faced with a heartbreaking choice. . .

  Thank you, Ace and EW+, for the digital galley for review!

  In this new fantasy—laced with the uncanny, the Fair Folk, music, and Marillier’s natural ability to dive into the complicated layers of characters’ psyches, history, and motivations—Liobhan is training to be a Swan Island warrior with her brother Brocc when they are sent on a mission: to find the missing Harp of Kings and restore it to the druids before Midsummer’s ceremony to crown the next king. They travel with their competitor Dau under disguise and infiltrate the prince’s household—but the prince is…not the best choice to lead these people. Trigger warnings for assault and animal cruelty.

  Each of our three warriors have their own story and motivations, and I identified most strongly with Dau and Liobhan. Brocc’s narrative reminded me so much of Shadowfell, and Liobhan felt like a warrior-version of Sorcha in Daughter of the Forest. They’re all strong-willed and determined to complete their mission, but because Prince Rodan is a threat to his people, they need the Fair Folk’s assistance to shine light on the true leader of the kingdom.

  Diving into a Marillier is a treat, and this felt both familiar and refreshingly new all at once. I thoroughly enjoyed the read, and I liked that the pacing was a bit faster than her usual style. That said, I do prefer her single POV, lush and beautiful writing narratives, too. Any one of her characters could’ve taken center stage — their voices and arcs were very distinct and well-developed.

  Music, action, druids, courtly intrigue, and Irish faeries as they should be—what more could you want from a Marillier novel?

  This qualifies as book 1 of my Gabaldon / Marillier challenge.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2019 | 0 Comments | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: fantasy, review

• Mini Reviews

  Posted at 10:15 am by Laura, on August 19, 2019

  July has been a whirlwind of success at work (another deal announcement to come soon, eventually, maybe, keep your eyes open!) and the last few months is crunch time for the wedding, so I’ve been incredibly busy. Not enough time to write up reviews of the books I’ve read! Read, rate, carry on! So here is the miniest of mini reviews for a few of those books I’ve read lately…

  

  

  

  

  Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon — ★★★ — Priory is inspired by the legends of King Arthur as well as St George and the Dragon. Know those legends and you have a great sense of this book. Shannon builds this world from the ground up, and it mirrors our own—Virtudom is clearly Christianity/Holy Roman Empire, the East and South clearly inspired by Asia, Middle East, and Africa. A diverse cast of characters and cultural interpretations, all with different understandings and beliefs of dragons. The dragon lore was neat. The plot threads were intricate and detailed, and I was impressed with how they wove together. That said, the pacing was off, this was far too long (I know the intention was to have one epic feminist fantasy standalone, but it could’ve been edited down another 200 pages OR split into two books, easily), some elements of worldbuilding were dumped through clunky dialogue, and though I enjoyed the folktale way this was written it actually kept me at a distance from the characters and their hopes, dreams, desires, and motivations. And therefore lots of elements didn’t feel relatable, authentic, or justified. I’ve read many reviews of this book, in trusted trade publications as well as readerly reactions. This worked for some, not for others. I think I’m firmly in the middle. I enjoyed it; there are aspects I connected to, was interested in, was impressed by. And equally elements that could’ve been much better if given more attention.

  This qualifies as book 5 in my TBR challenge.

  Red, White, & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston — ★★★ — I was super excited for this and enjoyed the first half well enough—laughed out loud even!—but I think my own expectations are at fault here with regards to my enjoyment of the novel. I was expecting The Royal We (but gay), or Royals (but gay), a book firmly placed in adult (though it’s drawing a YA crowd) that deals with the ins and outs of a budding romance between two top people in their respective countries (which this kind of does…kind of). That’s not quite what this book is and if someone told me it’s more New Adult than YA or adult, specifically that it’s more sexy times than plot, then I would’ve bypassed this for something else. I want plot and character development and deep, thoughtful discussions, but instead found bantering (least favorite dialogue), hate to love (least favorite trope), and more sex than plot development. Needless to say, I was really into the politics of this (what a dream America!), the family dynamics, and the PR/behind-the-scenes elements. Again, many of my critiques on this book I can only blame on myself and my expectations. If you love the tropes and dialogue I mentioned above, if you love New Adult, if you love romance as Plot A, this is definitely your book!

  This qualifies as book 6 in my TBR challenge.

  The Spies of Shilling Lane by Jennifer Ryan — ★★★ — Ryan’s previous WWII novel, The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir, was fun, cheeky, and hilarious while at the same time heart-wrenching and mournful. It was also written in epistolary form, with letters and diary entries informing the reader of the goings-on in the village. The Spies of Shilling Lane didn’t shine quite as much in comparison. It follows your standard narrative form of Point A to Point B, in third person, flipping between Mrs Braithwaite, her daughter Betty, and Betty’s landlord and Mrs B’s sidekick Mr Norris. The spies aren’t as intense as you’d expect from The Alice Network, for instance, but it does shed light on the situations at home and just how unsettling everything was with the inability to trust anyone. Moles, leaks, and double agents are littered throughout the narrative, and Mrs B and Mr Norris are caught in the crossfire. It was entertaining but forgetful. I think it was meant to be more on the funny and cheeky side of things, but I simply wasn’t catching on to that. Read it with a bit of humor in mind, and it’s like watching two old people bumble around solving cozy mysteries when they’re really in the thick of something much worse. I expected more, and perhaps I wasn’t exactly in the humorous mood, but if you need a light WWII novel I would highly recommend this one. Sometimes the genre can get very heavy—but have no fear, Mrs B is here!

  This qualifies as book 7 in my TBR challenge.

  Range of Ghosts by Elizabeth Bear — ★★★ — I stumbled across this book when looking up comparative titles for a client’s new project. Frankly there aren’t enough Great Khan/steppe-or-China/Song-dynasty era books out there. A favorite last year, The Bird and the Blade, is inspired by an opera that’s inspired by this era, but that’s all I’m really aware of. I was drawn to the premise, stayed for the setting (the steppes are vast!), and left interested in reading another Elizabeth Bear book. I didn’t quite connect with the characters or their quest fully, but Bear’s writing hooked me.

  This qualifies as book 11 of 10 in my library books challenge.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2019 | 5 Comments | Tagged books, genre: adult fiction, genre: fantasy, genre: historical fiction, genre: romance, mini review, review

• Book Review: “The Reluctant Queen” by Sarah Beth Durst

  Posted at 8:55 am by Laura, on June 24, 2019

  The Reluctant Queen by Sarah Beth Durst

  Publisher: Harper Voyager
  Published: July 2017
  Genre: fantasy
  ISBN: 9780062413352
  Rating: ★★★.75

  Not long ago, Daleina used her strength and skill to survive those spirits and assume the royal throne. Since then, the new queen has kept the peace and protected the humans of her land. But now for all her power, she is hiding a terrible secret: she is dying. And if she leaves the world before a new heir is ready, the spirits that inhabit her beloved realm will run wild, destroying her cities and slaughtering her people.

  Naelin is one such person, and she couldn’t be further removed from the Queen—and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Her world is her two children, her husband, and the remote village tucked deep in the forest that is her home, and that’s all she needs. But when Ven, the Queens champion, passes through the village, Naelin’s ambitious husband proudly tells him of his wife’s ability to control spirits—magic that Naelin fervently denies. She knows that if the truth of her abilities is known, it will bring only death and separation from those she loves.

  But Ven has a single task: to find the best possible candidate to protect the people of Aratay. He did it once when he discovered Daleina, and he’s certain he’s done it again. Yet for all his appeals to duty, Naelin is a mother, and she knows her duty is to her children first and foremost. Only as the Queen’s power begins to wane and the spirits become emboldened—even as ominous rumors trickle down from the north—does she realize that the best way to keep her son and daughter safe is to risk everything.

  The new, young queen is dying, and Renthia is on the brink of war with neighboring queendoms and from within: if the spirits of Renthia are not harnessed and controlled by a healthy, strong queen, they will attack the citizens within. Ven heads out once more to find the right person for the job, and it just so happens to come in the form of a mother, reluctant to leave her family and reluctant to use her power. Naelin just wants to have a quiet and simple life, but the needs of the country are much larger than she could ever know.

  I loved The Queen of Blood for having a world in which nature was literally violent against humans. Nature was the enemy. Every element had a spirit (think Celtic fairies) with a thirst for human blood; they are controlled and maintained by a human queen whose powers weaken over time and a new young woman would compete to take over. With the queen, the spirits are docile and live in harmony with humans. This continues that premise, but now instead of a young woman who was trained and schooled in the arts, we have a very reluctant woman who is also a mother. She has no interest in controlling spirits—she just wants them to leave her and her family in peace. But the kingdom needs her, for the queen is dying.

  It was so refreshing to read of a hero(ine) who wants nothing to do with the role. Truly, nothing. Naelin’s reluctance and feet-digging was expressed throughout in a very natural and understanding way. She felt so authentic to motherhood, to common life, that when she’s thrust into this new lifestyle and pushed into the role, I felt I could relate to her 100%. Meanwhile, the mystery regarding the queen’s illness, and the subsequent impending battle with the country to the north, fell a little short for me. The battle seemed rushed, the excuse weak, and the mystery not so mysterious, but this book also read like a stepping stone for The Queen of Sorrow. I’m especially intrigued by where this book ended, and I’m hoping the next installment is prepared for the big showdown!

  This qualifies as book 4 in my TBR challenge.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2019, Rock My TBR | 0 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: fantasy, review, rock my TBR

• Book Review: “His Majesty’s Dragon” by Naomi Novik

  Posted at 10:15 am by Laura, on April 29, 2019

  His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik

  Publisher: Del Rey
  Published: March 2006
  Genre: fantasy
  ISBN: 9780345481283
  Rating: ★★★★

  Aerial combat brings a thrilling new dimension to the Napoleonic Wars as valiant warriors ride mighty fighting dragons, bred for size or speed. When HMS Reliant captures a French frigate and seizes the precious cargo, an unhatched dragon egg, fate sweeps Captain Will Laurence from his seafaring life into an uncertain future – and an unexpected kinship with a most extraordinary creature. Thrust into the rarified world of the Aerial Corps as master of the dragon Temeraire, he will face a crash course in the daring tactics of airborne battle. For as France’s own dragon-borne forces rally to breach British soil in Bonaparte’s boldest gambit, Laurence and Temeraire must soar into their own baptism of fire.

  Laurence is a Captain in the Navy when his crew defeats a French ship. To everyone’s surprise, they find and capture a dragon egg on board. When the dragon hatches, his first words are to Laurence, automatically making Laurence his handler and requiring him to transfer to the dragon aerial corps and become a combat aerialist. But nothing is as simple as that — Temeraire is a rare and unique dragon breed, making him both an asset and a target for the British corps. Laurence and Temeraire must work together with their new crew to defeat the French, or risk worse fate.

  My first Novik experience was with Uprooted. A few years trickled by and I devoured Spinning Silver. Now as we wait for another similar fantasy from her, I turned to her first books: the Temeraire series, about dragons and the British aerial corps during the Napoleonic Wars. At first glance this doesn’t seem up my alley at all. I like witches and magic more than dragons in general. Especially talking dragons. Especially military fantasy. Plus I’d heard that those of us who read her standalone Eastern European fantasies first may be dismayed with her dragon series. But I took a chance—I pretended this was a wholly different Naomi Novik, with the expectations it would be nothing like Uprooted. I’m so glad I did, because I loved this!

  Temeraire is funny, unique, and intelligent; Laurence a gentleman and good officer. The adventures are fun and well-paced, and the training was interspersed with moments of adorable joy (the dragons running across the beach to splash in the ocean) and sadness (mistreatment and neglect). It was so well-written, the humor subtle but fantastic, and featuring a thoroughly explored world that I wished dragons were real and this was true historical fiction.

  I enjoyed this book and I have the next ready to go—and I highly suggest you give it a shot too if you were like me and read Novik’s latest work before her backlist. She’s an amazing storyteller. (Plus, gotta love the bromance!)

  Posted in books, Reviews 2019 | 3 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: fantasy, review

• Book Review: “The Kingdom of Copper” by SA Chakraborty (ARC)

  Posted at 7:30 am by Laura, on January 8, 2019

  The Kingdom of Copper by SA Chakraborty

  Publisher: Harper Voyager
  Publishing Date: January 22
  Genre: fantasy
  ISBN: 9780062678133
  Rating: ★★★★★

  With Daevabad entrenched in the dark aftermath of a devastating battle, Nahri must forge a new path for herself. But even as she embraces her heritage and the power it holds, she knows she’s been trapped in a gilded cage, watched by a king who rules from the throne that once belonged to her family—and one misstep will doom her tribe..

  Meanwhile, Ali has been exiled for daring to defy his father. Hunted by assassins, adrift on the unforgiving copper sands of his ancestral land, he is forced to rely on the frightening abilities the marid—the unpredictable water spirits—have gifted him. But in doing so, he threatens to unearth a terrible secret his family has long kept buried.

  And as a new century approaches and the djinn gather within Daevabad’s towering brass walls for celebrations, a threat brews unseen in the desolate north. It’s a force that would bring a storm of fire straight to the city’s gates . . . and one that seeks the aid of a warrior trapped between worlds, torn between a violent duty he can never escape and a peace he fears he will never deserve.

  Five years after the traumatizing attack on those Nahri held most dear, Nahri is married to the emir, trying to establish a home for herself in a kingdom run by a controlling madman, and searching for that spark of inspiration and hope for Daevabad’s inhabitants. Ali, meanwhile, has been exiled to the sands, and is struggling to control his new water magic, twisting it to be useful for the people of the desert rather than something to cause destruction. As a generation celebration draws near, Ali is summoned home and Nahri must work alongside him to restore a ruined hospital, a symbol of peace and hope for the city. Little do they know that a warrior is in their midst, and every fine thread they’ve grappled to hold onto will snap in the blink of an eye.

  The Kingdom of Copper was one of my most anticipated reads for 2019. I adored the first of the trilogy, and this book held up to my expectations. It’s just as heart-pounding, adventurous, political, humorous, and heart-breaking! Nahri is fully immersed in court culture, trapped in a golden cage and struggling to find a way to express herself without fear of Ghassan’s wrath and tyrannical power. She’s also grown in her magic as well, and I thoroughly loved the way the palace speaks to her and answers her call. While The City of Brass introduced us to the politics and magic of this world, Kingdom of Copper immerses us further into its history, the way prejudices run deep, and introduces us to the vast array of creatures and their abilities. From beginning to end, I was immersed in the magic of these pages. The fate of Daevabad lies in the family drama at the heart of the city.

  Thank you, Harper Voyager, for providing the galley for review!

  The rest of the review will contain spoilers. If you have not read The City of Brass yet and would like to remain unspoiled, please do not read below the break.

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  Continue reading →

  Posted in books, Reviews 2019 | 1 Comment | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, genre: adult fiction, genre: fantasy, review, rock my TBR

• Mini Reviews

  Posted at 7:00 am by Laura, on December 10, 2018

  Meet Me at the Museum by Anne Youngson

  Publisher: Flatiron Books
  Published: August 2018
  Genre: contemporary
  Rating: ★★★.75
  Summary: In Denmark, Professor Kristian Larsen, an urbane man of facts, has lost his wife and his hopes for the future. On an isolated English farm, Tina Hopgood is trapped in a life she doesn’t remember choosing. Both believe their love stories are over. Brought together by a shared fascination with the Tollund Man, subject of Seamus Heaney’s famous poem, they begin writing letters to one another. And from their vastly different worlds, they find they have more in common than they could have imagined. As they open up to one another about their lives, an unexpected friendship blooms. But then Tina’s letters stop coming, and Kristian is thrown into despair. How far are they willing to go to write a new story for themselves?
  

  Mini Review: This epistolary novel is perfect for readers of Guernsey Literary. It’s nostalgic, hopeful, sentimental. It’s not a happy novel, but it’s not sad either. These two people — a farmer’s wife in England and a museum curator in Denmark — find solace and companionship writing letters to one another throughout the course of a year. All their joys and sorrows of everyday life, in work and family, in love and friendship, in memory and philosophy, are shared in equal measure throughout the pages. The ending is open, but I’d like to think I know Tina’s decision and Anders’s response. A perfect, short, quick, warm read for the early winter months.

  Empress of All Seasons by Emiko Jean

  Publisher: HMH
  Published: November 2018
  Genre: young adult, fantasy
  Rating: ★★★
  Summary: Each generation, a competition is held to find the next empress of Honoku. The rules are simple: survive and conquer the palace’s enchanted seasonal rooms, and marry the prince. All are eligible to compete—all except yōkai, supernatural monsters and spirits whom the human emperor is determined to enslave and destroy. Mari has spent a lifetime training to become empress. Winning should be easy. And it would be, if she weren’t hiding a dangerous secret. Mari is a yōkai with the ability to transform into a terrifying monster. If discovered, her life will be forfeit. As she struggles to keep her true identity hidden, Mari’s fate collides with that of Taro, the prince who has no desire to inherit the imperial throne, and Akira, a half-human, half-yōkai outcast. The choices of Mari, Taro, and Akira will decide the fate of Honoku in this beautifully written, edge-of-your-seat YA fantasy.
  

  Mini Review: This Japanese-inspired fantasy was high on my anticipation list for quite a while. Mari, Taro, and Akira are such lonely souls, and in the end all three want liberation and equality for the yōkai. But in order to do that, Honoku needs to be saved by Mari, the one true empress. This was incredibly plot-driven, and I wish there was more character development here — in many ways it felt like a Hunger Games trilogy retelling packed in one book — but in the end the story felt like one you’d sit around a campfire and listen to. A legend, an oral tale. So while it wasn’t what I fully expected, Jean still delivered!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2018 | 0 Comments | Tagged genre: adult fiction, genre: contemporary, genre: fantasy, genre: young adult, mini review, review

• Book Review: “The Girl in the Tower” by Katherine Arden

  Posted at 6:45 am by Laura, on November 29, 2018

  The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden

  Publisher: Del Rey
  Published: December 2017
  Genre: historical fiction, fantasy
  ISBN: 9781101885963
  Rating: ★★★

  Orphaned and cast out as a witch by her village, Vasya’s options are few: resign herself to life in a convent, or allow her older sister to make her a match with a Moscovite prince. Both doom her to life in a tower, cut off from the vast world she longs to explore. So instead she chooses adventure, disguising herself as a boy and riding her horse into the woods. When a battle with some bandits who have been terrorizing the countryside earns her the admiration of the Grand Prince of Moscow, she must carefully guard the secret of her gender to remain in his good graces—even as she realizes his kingdom is under threat from mysterious forces only she will be able to stop.

  The Girl in the Tower, the second book of the Winternight trilogy, starts immediately where The Bear and the Nightingale ended. Vasya is free from her village and wants to see more of the world. Her desire leads her to trouble in Moscow, and the rumbling undercurrents of war and oppressive religion. Is she to be trapped as a boy and become a warrior for the Grand Prince, or locked in a tower as a girl to be wed or sent to convent? And what does the prince of night, winter, death, and darkness have to say about it all?

  Of these two books so far, the first is my favorite. It stands out in my mind because it was full of medieval Russian culture, mythology, history, and lore. It was a commentary on religion mixed with paganism and magic. However, this book was far more political and battle-hungry, and it worked well with Vasya’s character and her need for adventure and freedom. While The Bear and the Nightingale has a clear-cut villain, with a tangible beginning, middle, and end in plot arc, and a cast of recurring characters, The Girl in the Tower felt far more realistic to life (even with its magical elements). Characters come and go depending on the location and political situation, all the characters from her village do not appear in here (of course they wouldn’t — Vasya’s left them all behind!), and newer, more immediate events take place that require Vasya to look deeply into herself and her motivations and goals. The romantic thread is far more prominent in this novel as well, and it felt appropriate to Vasya’s character growth — I was pleased to see that.

  By the end of the novel, Arden has set the stage for what’s no doubt going to be a spectacular showdown. I’m curious to see where Arden takes us next.

  I’d recommend this book — this trilogy! — to anyone who loves Eastern European history, folklore, and fantasy. Uprooted, Spinning Silver, and The Sisters of the Winter Wood come to mind…

  This qualifies as book 11 of 16 in my TBR challenge. 

  Posted in books, Reviews 2018, Rock My TBR | 9 Comments | Tagged book review, genre: adult fiction, genre: fantasy, genre: historical fiction, review, rock my TBR

• Book Review: “The Bird and the Blade” by Megan Bannen

  Posted at 7:05 am by Laura, on September 19, 2018

  The Bird and the Blade by Megan Bannen

  Publisher: Balzer + Bray
  Published: June 2018
  Genre: historical fantasy
  ISBN: 9780062674159
  Rating: ★★★★★

  As a slave in the Kipchak Khanate, Jinghua has lost everything: her home, her family, her freedom … until the kingdom is conquered by enemy forces and she finds herself an unlikely conspirator in the escape of Prince Khalaf and his irascible father across the vast Mongol Empire. On the run, with adversaries on all sides and an endless journey ahead, Jinghua hatches a scheme to use the Kipchaks’ exile to return home, a plan that becomes increasingly fraught as her feelings for Khalaf evolve into a hopeless love.

  Jinghua’s already dicey prospects take a downward turn when Khalaf seeks to restore his kingdom by forging a marriage alliance with Turandokht, the daughter of the Great Khan. As beautiful as she is cunning, Turandokht requires all potential suitors to solve three impossible riddles to win her hand—and if they fail, they die.

  Jinghua has kept her own counsel well, but with Khalaf’s kingdom—and his very life—on the line, she must reconcile the hard truth of her past with her love for a boy who has no idea what she’s capable of … even if it means losing him to the girl who’d sooner take his life than his heart.

  Jinghua, a Song slave in Kipchak Khanate, mourns the loss of her family and is haunted by their hungry spirits. A part of her would wish nothing more than for the Kipchaks to disappear, but Prince Khalaf was once so kind to her she cannot hate them all. When an unlikely and terrible opportunity arises for her to escape, she chooses to flee the Khanate with Prince Khalaf and his father, seeking assistance from neighboring kingdoms to take back their land and stand up to the Great Khan. But Khalaf does not seek warfare, and instead makes his father and Jinghua chase after him across the great Mongol Empire, in an attempt to stop him from answering the dangerous Turandokht’s riddles and face imminent death. Jinghua must find the balance between honoring her family and past, and protecting her heart.

  I thought my familiarity with the opera Turandot would numb me from the tragedy, but nope. Bannen still made me cry. This is my fifth 5-star read in 2018, and it deserves all of it and so much more. I absolutely loved it — from the inspiration for the story, to the language and descriptions, to the timeline jumps, and everything in between. This is an excellent crossover novel, and I’d love to see more books like this out in the world.

  The opera is based on a Persian-translated-into-French story about a Chinese princess and her fall into slavery, combined with a folktale about a princess who locked herself away in a palace on a mountain asking suitors riddles. The Bird and the Blade is the slave girl’s story. Because let’s be real, her story is infinitely better than Turandokht’s. Knowing the opera will not fully prepare you for this immensely emotional journey. Jinghua’s grief, anger, turmoil, fear, and love are so tangible, so authentic and so powerful, that I could not put this book down. Likewise Khalaf’s maturity, intelligence, patience, and kindness made my heart ache. When we get to the end of this tragedy, I was already weeping.

  Bannen makes a huge disclaimer in her notes about the historical and fantastical elements in this novel. Because it’s based on an opera, which in itself is based on a translated text on Mongolian culture and history, it can’t necessarily be taken as fact, nor can it be seen as complete folktale. These people, this story, really comes down to Ghengis Khan’s rule and the division of his descendants, and Bannen tried to stay as true as possible to elements of Mongolian Empire history, religion, and culture across Asia and Europe in that time. Needless to say, I was blown away. What a tremendous undertaking. This is every folklore historian’s dream in one book.

  What an overwhelmingly, wonderfully descriptive and gorgeous book, full of love and fear and guilt and honor. It’s a tremendous accomplishment.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2018 | 0 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: fantasy, genre: historical fiction, genre: young adult, review

• Book Review: “Kings of the Wyld” by Nicholas Eames

  Posted at 6:25 am by Laura, on September 12, 2018

  Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames

  Publisher: Orbit
  Published: February 2017
  Genre: fantasy
  ISBN: 9780316362474
  Rating: ★★★★.5

  Clay Cooper and his band were once the best of the best — the meanest, dirtiest, most feared crew of mercenaries this side of the Heartwyld.

  Their glory days long past, the mercs have grown apart and grown old, fat, drunk – or a combination of the three. Then an ex-bandmate turns up at Clay’s door with a plea for help. His daughter Rose is trapped in a city besieged by an enemy one hundred thousand strong and hungry for blood. Rescuing Rose is the kind of mission that only the very brave or the very stupid would sign up for.

  It’s time to get the band back together for one last tour across the Wyld.

  These men are legends, rockstars, and shouldn’t be fighting battles anymore but here we are. 20 years after disbanding, Gabe’s daughter is trapped in a city on the other side of the Wyld, death knocking. His only hope is Clay Cooper, our MC, to help him bring the band of warriors back together, beer bellies and aching backs and all. And you know what? They follow. They know it’s crazy, they know death is far more inevitable now that they’re out of shape and older, but for the first time in their lives, they actually have something worth fighting for.

  What a riot of a good time! The language is funny and accessible, and Eames does an excellent job of grounding the characters and really making the relationships feel long-established. Plus, how often do you get to see a grown child shout “Dad?!” when one of those bandmates — your friends — does something weird or stupid? It’s like Robin Hood twenty years later, rehashing the glory days while try to adjust to this older body and familiar moves. So fun. So hilarious. And so…vivid. Real.

  I would highly recommend this to someone new to fantasy as well as a long-time fan. Yes there’s a map, and funny names and interesting history, plus hordes of creatures familiar and brand new, but the magic of this realm is not the point of the story: it’s about survival, adjustment, standing together with your friends even when it feels like a lost cause. I’m really looking forward to reading Bloody Rose!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2018 | 4 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: fantasy, review

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• Hello, I’m Laura!

  I'm a bookish bookworm and book hoarder. By day I'm a literary agent, and by night I'm forever rearranging my bookshelves. I could talk your ear off about Gothic literature, and in my past life people thought I'd become a professional musician. I have a fluffy black cat named Rossetti, I love to travel, tea is my drink of choice, British TV is the best, and I'm always down for chips-and-queso nights. Welcome to Scribbles & Wanderlust! Grab your favorite hot beverage and let's chat books!

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