Fantasy

The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin

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Rating: 4/5

“You have to believe you’re worthy of the life you want. If you don’t believe that, who else will?” 

For centuries witches have maintained who have maintained their climate, their power from the sun peaking in the season of their birth. But now, their control is faltering as the atmosphere becomes more erratic. All hope lies with Clara, an Everwitch whose rare magic is tied to every season. But, Clare wants nothing to do with her power, as the price for her magic means losing the ones she loves the most. In autumn, it’s wild and volitale, in winter fires burn and storms rage, in spring she finds herself falling for the witch, Sang who training here and with summer, she must choose between her power and her happiness, her duty and the people she loves.

This was a fun read! The story is a coming of age as Clara is struggling to figure out who she is and what she wants out of her life. In addition to that, she doesn’t have a lot of support around her as she doesn’t have any family and isolated from her peers. She carries the burden of being the one who will save everyone yet no one can tell her why she’s the one who has to carry it. I could understand her resistance to her powers and what was involved in that because that can place a lot of stress on someone so young. Plus, it can feel like not having your own agency if people are telling you who are you, what you’re meant to do or be, and not asking what you want do. So I understood her frustration with that aspect because that can be very overwhelming.

I absolutely LOVED the magical elements, I thought it was really well done and probably my favorite part of the book. The way that Griffin wrote made it feel so real and made me think about the first I read Harry Potter and fell in love with magic in books. Each season had a magical element and it was.so cool how the witches controlled the environment and it added so much mystery and intrigue to the book. I highly recommend this book! It was really great!

Fly With The Arrow by Sarah K.L. Wilson

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Rating: 3/5

“We are the story of our choices, our grim failures, our crippled successes. We are the story of our molten passions, our loves and hates, our tears in the silence. We are the story of how others touched or shunned us, of loves returned, revenges enacted. When all flesh and glory melts away and there is nothing left of us, we will be only the story going on to what comes next.”

No one told her the most important law of the court-the law of greeting. If she knew about it, maybe she wouldn’t have greeted Bluebeard who had come to claim a mortal wife. If that hadn’t happened, she wouldn’t have swept into away to the lands of the Wittenhame as his sixteenth wife. But, if none of that had happened then she wouldn’t have been such a integral part of the game that takes place every two years that will set the fate of the nations. But, as she tries to navigate her way not only as Bluebeard’s wife but her own identity, she will discover that not all is at it seems in more ways than she could imagine.

What a confusing, addictive, fun and entertaining book this was! When I was younger, I was obsessed with pirates and a huge fan of POTC but I grew out of it. I remember reading tales of Bluebeard so when I saw this pop up on my recommendations, I decided to give it a try. In this telling, Bluebeard is a misunderstood fae who is equally puzzled by Izdola, our heroine who is different from his previous fifteen wives. The enemies to lovers trope is a favorite of mine and it was done rather well throughout the book. There were a few parts where I was very confused but thankfully that didn’t last long the more that I got into the story and became very interested in what was to come.

It was a great read up until the last act which I felt like was a little rushed and a bit predictable. On top of that, it ended in a cliffhanger and we don’t know what happens until the second book comes out in September. I felt a little disappointed in the ending, I would’ve liked the book to be a bit longer and not end as a cliffhanger. It’s a fun and interesting story with a great dynamic between Bluebeard and Izdola but I felt like the last part of the book fell flat for me.

But if you’re looking for a fun and adventurous book, this is right up your alley!

This Poison Heart by Kaylnn Bayron

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Rating: 3/5

Brisesis has a strange yet fascinating gift where she can grow plants from tiny seeds to rich blooms with a single touch. But, when her aunt dies and gives her dilapidated estate to Bri and her parents decide to leave rural Brooklyn for the summer in hopes that Bri can hone her magically gift in the open space that surrounds her aunt’s estate. At first, things are perfect but looks can be deceiving and Bri and her family don’t have any idea of what sinister awaits for them. Soon, strangers start coming to the door wanting elixer’s and when Bri learns that she can make them, she decides to use her talent and things couldn’t be better. Until, Bri meets a woman named Maria and the two become friends until Bri finds out that Maria is keeping secrets of her own and soon Bri finds herself with more than she bargained for and she must not only save herself but her family.

This is the second book that I’ve read from Bayron and I actually prefer Cinderella is Dead to this one because the pacing for this book was awful imo. The character didn’t even arrive in the setting until 25% into the book and while there parts where I felt like things were picking up, the poor pacing continued throughout the book and it made me a bit disappointed. Briesis is very relatable character and I do think she was well-written and I liked her personality but I just felt like the pacing of the book really impacted my enjoyment of it. Another part that irked me a bit was the immortal love interested who was in the body of a seventeen year old. The main character, Breisis is barely seventeen yet her love interest some hundred years her senior? That might not bother some people but that felt weird to me.

But, there a few things that I enjoyed and in particular the relationship between Bri and her mother, I felt like it was a very well written and there is so much love between the two of them and that’s always nice to see. I also enjoyed learning about the magic system and I thought that it was explained very well and made it interesting. I wish I could’ve enjoyed this book as much as others did but I couldn’t due to the issues that I mentioned but if you feel like this sounds up your alley, check it out for yourself!

Neon Gods by Katee Robert

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Rating: 4/5

“If we were different people in different circumstances, I would get down on my knees and beg you to stay at the end of the winter. I would move heaven and earth and the Underworld itself to keep you with me.” 

A retelling of a very old tale between Persephone and Hades and one that will leave you begging for more. Society darling, Persephone Dimitriou is ready to leave the ultra modern city of Olympus and start over from the backstabbing politics of the Thirteen Houses but when her mother throws her into an engagement to Zeus, the dangerous power behind the city’s dark facade, she is desperate for a way out. She flees to the forbidden city, where she makes a devil bargain and is thrust into a world that she never knew existed along with a man she believed to be a myth.

This book was super steamy and I loved every minute of it. This book wasn’t originally on my tbr at all until I started hearing the buzz about it and decided to check it out and I am so glad that I did. Not only did I love the smut but I loved everything about the retelling of Persephone and Hades. I am fickle on retellings of this tale because it’s been done so many times so I was a little skeptical but the characters, the world-buidling, the writing, and of course the smut drew me in. I liked how the author was still able to weave in the gods aspect because the way it was done in this retelling added to the story in my perspective. I could actually see this world existing in my head and wondered what it would be like to experience it.

I can’t wait for more!!

Sing Me Forgotten by Jessica S. Olson

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Rating: 3.5/5

“If they want me to be a nightmare, then a nightmare I shall be.” 

Outside of the walls of opulent opera house, Isda doesn’t exist. She is one of the few people who can manipulate people’s memories when people sing. Saved by Cyril, the owner of the opera house, she is given a chance to survive but only on the condition that she keep tickets sales alive and stays out of sight. It seems that is all is going well until Isda breaks Cyril’s golden rule and finds herself battling between what she knows and what she truly desires. 

While it was confusing during some parts, I found this book enjoyable and not only because it was a retelling of The Phantom Of The Opera but because of the two main characters and their dynamic. I love that it was gender-switched as it was a little more interesting to see how the relationship and plot would play out throughout the book. I found Isda relatable and real as she is working through so many different emotions and struggles due to being kept hidden. I love her relationship with Emeric as it felt very real and the two had sweet moments as well as conflict which is inevitable and any relationship. Her father figure, Cyril was interesting as it was hard to tell his motives and there were times where I felt like he was being manipulative and controlling to Isda so I felt for her. I wanted her to finally break from him as that’s what she truly wanted and to be with Emeric. 

I don’t wanna spoil it so you’ll have to check it out if you want to know more! It’s a stellar read from beginning to end. 

Witchshadow by Susan Dennard

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Rating: 4/5

“One man’s loneliness is another man’s freedom.”

Witchshadow follows the journey of Iseult, a threadwitch who has the ability to see the ties that bind the lives of the people around her has found her heartsister Safi but their reunion is short lived. Iseult has formed an unlikely bond with Safi, a truthwitch who has ability to discern truth from a lie and in order to save her friend, she will be taken on a journey that is more dangerous than any journey she’s ever been on. Meanwhile, the bloodwitch Audean is beset by forces that he doesn’t understand and Vivia, the rightful queen of Nubreva is without a crown or home. Iseult is faced with a dilemma of being able to embrace her power and heal the land but she must make a choice for which of the shadows of her destiny lie.

I was so excited to finally get this book in my hands as I have been waiting on it since bloodwitch. This series is so underrated and I have been telling so many people about the series. I actually forgot the book came out this month until I found it while looking for other books for my July TBR. I first found the series last year when I was asking for book recommendations and Truthwitch kept coming up so I decided to check it out. I am so glad that I did because it’s such a good story with two great protagonists, Safi and Iseult and their friendship is my favorite thing of the series. They are so different yet care for each other so much and would do anything to help each other out. Seeing Iseult’s growth throughout the series has been wonderful especially in her own book. There was so much character and plot development that really helped with telling Iseult’s story and I nearly finished the book in the one night. So, I don’t really have any complaints except for more Audean and Iseult but hopefully there will be more of them in the future.

If you’re looking for a medium paced fantasy with two great protagonists, a well-written and engaging plot, and interesting characters, then I would check this series out. It’s so good and it needs more love!

Black Water Sister by Zen Cho

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TW: Abuse, Violence, Accidents, Loss of loved ones etc.

Rating: 4/5

“You can bargain with anybody, spirit or human. All you need to know is what do they want and what are they scared of. That’s all.” 

Black Water Sister follows the story of Jessaymn, a young woman who is moving back to the Malaysia, her childhood home where the past that she left behind comes back in a way that she didn’t expect. When she arrives back, Jess begins to hear voices and at first she chalks it up to stress but then she comes to realize that the voices hears is that of her estranged grandmother, Ah-Ma. In life, she was a spirit medium, the avatar of mysterious deity Black Water Sister and now she’s decided that Jess is gonna help her settle the score with a gang leader who offended the god. On the journey, Jess is thrown into a world of gods, ghosts, and family secrets, she finds that making deals with spirits is a dangerous game and she may not make it out alive.

What a compelling read! Not only did I enjoy the characters, the storyline, and the dynamics within the world that Cho created, but I really enjoyed learning about the culture. I laughed, cried, and didn’t want the book to end but sadly it did. This is the first book that I’ve read from Zen Cho and I will definitely be checking out more by her because of her writing and how she gives a beautiful backdrop into the south east asia culture. I learned quite a bit while following Jess on her journey and what witty, sassy, fun, and sarcastic protagonist. Jess was an absolute delight and I loved learning more about her and seeing her grow in this journey. One that is about self-discovery and not only figuring her place in the world but feeling secure with her identity and taking command of that narrative.

The supernatural elements were great, I really enjoyed Cho weaving that into the story and it really added more to the story. I don’t mind gore or horror but it can be a lot for others that something to think about as there are a few scenes that a bit graphic but for the most part, it was more haunting than anything.

This was such a fun, mysterious, haunting, and enthralling read so if you’re looking for an enjoyable urban fantasy with a witty, fun-loving, and relatable character while being spooked and entertained with Cho’s storytelling then this is it!

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

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Rating: 4/5

“It is not your fault,” she said gently. “Greed and hurt drive people to do horrible things.” 

Cemetery Boys follows a young latinx boy, Yadriel who is striving prove himself as a a young sorcerer not only to himself but to his family who aren’t as accepting or supportive as he wants them to be. He enlists the help of his best friend, Maritza and his cousin, he sets out to find the ghost of his murdered cousin and set him free. The only problem is, he summons Julian Diaz, the school’s notorious bad boy and he’s not going to go without putting up a fight. Julian and Yadriel end up making a deal so the two can get what they want but the more time Yadriel spends with Julian, the less he wants to let him leave.

I wanted to read this book for last month’s readathon but I got around to it a bit late and didn’t finish it on time. I’d heard lots of good things and I am a fan of Aiden Thomas, I do enjoy the representation that he puts in his novels and he is a great writer. While I felt like the worldbuilding and writing could use improvement, this was a fun book with great representation and diversity. The characters were interesting and well written and I did love reading about Yadriel’s perspective and their journey. I would’ve liked to see more developed with the magic system as that was intriguing but I felt like it needed to develop a little more to fully understand it. 

Overall, a good with with great LGBT + Latinx representation! 

Cinderella Is Dead by Kaylnn Bayron

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Rating: 3.5/5

“Do not be silent. Raise your voice. Be a light in the dark.”

Cinderella Is Dead is a retelling of an old class but this time there’s a twist. 200 years have passed and the fairy tale is over and now teen girls are required to attend the ball in hopes of finding a suitable match and if they don’t get one, the girls are never heard from again. One such girl, Sophia would rather marry her best friend, Erin than attend a ball in hopes of finding prince charming or paying the price for not being suitable as a wife. But, like the girls Sophia doesn’t have a choice and while she’s at the ball, she befriends Constance, the last known decedent of Cinderella and her sisters. Together, they plan to bring down the King forever and while in the process, they learn more about Cinderella’s story than they ever knew.

“It’s risky…But sometimes that’s the only way to get things done. Take the risk, light the fuse. Onward.” 

I absolutely loved retellings so I was really excited to finally get this in my hands and read. The premise of the book was very intriguing and I did like how it was written, the prose was sharp, interesting, and engaging. The beginning of the book was great, fun, and I loved how the first few chapters showed the harsh, cruel, and patriarchal world that young woman have to strive to survive without fear or judgement of being who they want to be. The characters were great, I liked Sophia and Constance and I found their relationship interesting and Sophia was a relatable character with not wanting to conform to what society wanted her to be.

“You weren’t selfish. You saw a future for yourself that she couldn’t imagine. You wanted her to believe that the two of you could find a way through all this. That’s what happens when you care about someone. And when you’re brave enough to imagine a different life.” 

But, the second latter of the book fell flat for me and I hate to say that. There were parts that didn’t make sense and I found some plot holes and the worldbuilding wasn’t as good as it was the first part. This is a very cute retelling but there was a lot in the second part that made me not enjoy it as much as I wanted.

But, if you’re looking for a twist on an old classic then you should give it a try! Who knows you may end up liking it!