Siavahda's Blog, page 12
February 27, 2025
February DNFs
A perfectly reasonable amount of DNFs this month! I am relieved.
Grave Empire (The Great Silence, #1) by Richard Swan Genres: Adult, Fantasy
Representation: Minor bisexual character
PoV: Third-person, past-tense; multiple PoVs
Goodreads
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Blood once turned the wheels of empire. Now it is money.
A new age of exploration and innovation has dawned, and the Empire of the Wolf stands to take its place as the foremost power in the known world. Glory and riches await.
But dark days are coming. A mysterious plague has broken out in the pagan kingdoms to the north, while in the south, the Empire's proxy war in the lands of the wolfmen is weeks away from total collapse.
Worse still is the message brought to the Empress by two heretic monks, who claim to have lost contact with the spirits of the afterlife. The monks believe this is the start of an ancient prophecy heralding the end of days-the Great Silence.
It falls to Renata Rainer, a low-ranking ambassador to an enigmatic and vicious race of mermen, to seek answers from those who still practice the arcane arts. But with the road south beset by war and the Empire on the brink of supernatural catastrophe, soon there may not be a world left to save . . .
Grave Empire is the first novel in an unmissable new epic fantasy series from Sunday Times bestseling author Rich Swan, packed full of action, intrigue and adventure
Did I have a horrific time with Swan’s debut, Justice of Kings? Indeed I did. So was it dumb to pick up the first book of his new trilogy, set in the same world centuries later???
I mean, evidently.
I heard that one of our MCs was an ambassador to merfolk and I wanted in, okay? That is a FANTASTIC idea, GIMME! But not only has that character never met any merfolk, she is unfortunately drowned out by two other PoVs that I couldn’t care less about: one, an out of his depth lieutenant just arrived in the tropics (and someone’s gonna need to explain to me how and why the Indigenous folks are ‘milk white’), and a deeply conservative (by which I mean, US-Republican-type) rich asshole who wants to weaponise a terrifying new plague because Capitalism. Both their plotlines are unremittingly mind-numbing, even with the supernatural horrors involved with both – while our ambassador gets bogged down in an endless Travelling Arc that should have been time-skipped.
Almost no pagetime goes to the Great Silence issue; the ambassador is travelling, then trying to enter a besieged city; the leiutenant hears sourceless weeping and screaming every night and just generally Regrets His Life Choices; and our third dude is an arrogant prick who doesn’t seem to have any reason for what he’s doing.
It really seems that Swan hasn’t learned anything since Justice: the one woman with any power in this book uses sex magic, which wouldn’t bother me if we had other women using other magics as well, but we don’t – so it just comes off as demeaning and ick. Of course she has to bounce on a dick to do her thing. Of course she does!
Renata doesn’t hesitate to leave her sister in critical condition and never worries about her once she’s left, which strikes me less as bad characterisation and more like bad writing. Unless you establish a character as having a very not-traditional approach to emotional attachments, this is, to not put too fine a point on it, batshit.
(Also, don’t think I didn’t notice that the sister is the only openly queer character, and is functionally fridged pages after we learn that about her. NOT A GOOD LOOK, SWAN, FFS.)
(I mean, it’s possible there are more queer characters after the halfway point, which is when I DNFed. But I’m not betting on it!!!)
Also-also, while we’re talking about bad writing: WHY WOULD YOU NOT VISUALLY DESCRIBE YOUR WOLF-MEN??? It’s like Swan assumed that everyone reading Grave Empire read the whole of the previous trilogy, where the wolf-men eventually showed up (I believe). But that is an especially dumb assumption to make, sir! I wasn’t around for that, and now I want to know what your wolf-men look like…AND YOU WON’T BLOODY TELL ME. What the fuck??? This is literally why separate series are SEPARATE SERIES: I’m not supposed to need to have read another set of books to know what’s happening in this one, even if they share a setting!
In fact, it’s not even ‘I need to have read other books to know what’s happening here’, it’s ‘I need to have read other books to know what your FANTASY SPECIES looks like’. I feel like that’s worse. Just describe them for me already. It’ll take you a couple of sentences, max! WHY WOULD YOU NOT???
Bonus insta-lust for some fucking reason on the part of our ambassador towards the one soldier who can get them into a city under siege (and don’t ask me why the fuck they had to go there instead of straight to the mer-people. It seemed very contrived to me.)
Basically, I realised all I was doing about this book was ranting about it to the hubby, and remembered that AHA, I DON’T HAVE TO FORCE MYSELF TO READ THIS. And promptly chucked it out the window.
(Metaphorically.)
The Antlered King (The Raven’s Trade, #2) by Marianne Gordon Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Sapphic MC
PoV: Third-person, past-tense
ISBN: 000853618X
Goodreads
In this stunning conclusion to the Raven’s Trade duology that began with The Gilded Crown, Hellevir’s bargains with Death to save the ones she loves—including the princess she risked everything to bring back to life—may just lead to the ultimate sacrifice.
Hellevir’s gift to raise the dead once thrust her into the center of a court filled with backstabbing and treason, where she became duty bound to protect Princess Sullivain, the sole heir to the kingdom’s throne and target of many rivals eager for the crown. But the more Hellevir risked to keep Sullivain alive, and the more deeply she fell in love with the princess, the greater the cost became—for Hellevir’s power can only be granted by the strange figure who rules the afterlife, and there is always a price to pay.
Now Hellevir may have risked too much, and Sullivain has become obsessed with consolidating power to vanquish her foes once and for all—by whatever means necessary. Cast out to the fringes of a country on the verge of civil war, Hellevir is torn between protecting her heart or giving what little she has left to finish what she started. Yet, her connection with Sullivain runs deeper than the mortal world, and saving her friends and family might mean risking the woman she is still bound to by soul and blood.
To stop a war, Hellevir must unravel the last of Death’s riddles and decide, once and for all, who deserves to live, what a life is worth, and whether she can pay the price. This explosive finale to the Raven’s Trade duology is sure to satisfy fans of dark fantasy and queer romance.
I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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WHAT EXPLOSIVENESS???
The whole first 40% is a gods-damn side-quest, wherein Hellevir gets involved in the lives of a couple of people in the little village she’s visiting. It has nothing to do with anything. Also: it’s been three years since the previous book, and she hasn’t a) found the next treasure for Death and b) resurrected anyone. I’m sorry??? This is the woman who literally resurrected a bird and a cat because she could…and you’re telling me in THREE YEARS she hasn’t brought anyone, or anything, else back to life?
Frankly, I don’t believe you. Hellevir is addicted, or something like addicted – maybe compelled is a kinder word – to reversing death. Are you seriously saying that in three years she didn’t come across a single dead bunny?
Also – and this really pissed me off – very quickly, we learn that the Onaistism church has now banned abortion. And, look. You never actually established that this church is bad. You know why? Because you never told us what they fucking believe! You didn’t tell us their moral code, you didn’t tell us their beliefs; all we know is that they encourage self-control and compassion (neither of which are bad things, even if you had Hellevir be all ‘why does anyone need to be told to be good?’ which seems very sneering) and once upon a time, members of this church burned people who could talk to spirits and things. We know that a couple of the modern priests don’t like Hellevir and tried to have her whipped in the previous book, but that does not actually mean the religion is fundamentally harmful, just that these few priests are terrible.
So suddenly announcing that the church has banned abortion feels like a quick, lazy way to make us hate them. And that’s why it annoyed me. Especially since the whole side-quest just establishes that Hellevir is prejudiced against the church unreasonably; she assumes the worst of a priest, but turns out to be wrong about that. So I wish Gordon could decide what she wants us to feel towards this church – are you saying they’re terrible, or not? And if you’re saying ‘it’s complicated’, then I would appreciate it if you would TELL ME WHAT THEY ACTUALLY BELIEVE. Jerking my emotions around about it – wasting 40% of a book on ‘surprise, the priest isn’t evil actually!’ – just makes me want to throw the book away. Quit telling me what to feel: show me what they believe and I’ll make up my own mind!
GAH.
And of course Hellevir is then called back to the capital because the princess needs her and I just didn’t care. Gordon wasted so much of my time with almost the full first half of the book, that it had used up all the goodwill Gilded Crown earned. I wasn’t willing to extend any more credit.
Bonus: Gordon continues to not let other animals be characters. Hellevir’s raven companion? He gets to be a character in his own right. All the other animals she can talk to – even the horse who has been with her for years at this point – don’t even get dialogue; we’re just told what they said. To the point that in Gilded Crown I genuinely thought Hellevir could only talk to birds at first, but no, she can talk to anything. It just seems so lazy – if Hellevir had a human companion for three years we’d all think it was deeply weird if they never got to talk, and functionally the horse is the same thing, for her.
Sigh. I really loved Gilded Crown, but I’m sorry, this just didn’t work for me at all.
The Fourth Consort by Edward Ashton Genres: Adult, Sci Fi
PoV: Third-person, present-tense
Goodreads
A new standalone sci-fi novel from Edward Ashton, author of Mickey7 (the inspiration for the major motion picture Mickey 17).
Dalton Greaves is a hero. He’s one of humankind’s first representatives to Unity, a pan-species confederation working to bring all sentient life into a single benevolent brotherhood.
That’s what they told him, anyway. The only actual members of Unity that he’s ever met are Boreau, a giant snail who seems more interested in plunder than spreading love and harmony, and Boreau’s human sidekick, Neera, who Dalton strongly suspects roped him into this gig so that she wouldn’t become the next one of Boreau’s crew to get eaten by locals while prospecting.
Funny thing, though—turns out there actually is a benevolent confederation out there, working for the good of all life. They call themselves the Assembly, and they really don’t like Unity. More to the point, they really, really don’t like Unity’s new human minions.
When an encounter between Boreau’s scout ship and an Assembly cruiser over a newly discovered world ends badly for both parties, Dalton finds himself marooned, caught between a stickman, one of the Assembly’s nightmarish shock troops, the planet’s natives, who aren’t winning any congeniality prizes themselves, and Neera, who might actually be the most dangerous of the three. To survive, he’ll need to navigate palace intrigue, alien morality, and a proposal that he literally cannot refuse, all while making sure Neera doesn’t come to the conclusion that he’s worth more to her dead than alive.
Part first contact story, part dark comedy, and part bizarre love triangle, The Fourth Consort asks an important how far would you go to survive? And more importantly, how many drinks would you need to go there?
I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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That’s why some people are going to really enjoy it, though. If you DON’T want lush prose and alien anthropology, then you’ll probably have a better time with this than I did. I suggest checking out other reviews, if you’re considering giving it a try – what I read bored me, and the reviews I’ve seen don’t indicate the plot gets any more interesting.
I suspect Ashton is just not a me-author! Which is fine.
A Dance of Lies by Brittney Arena Genres: Adult, Fantasy
Representation: Disabled MC
PoV: First-person, present-tense
Published on: 10th June 2025
ISBN: 0593973208
Goodreads
A debut fantasy romance filled with hope after heartbreak, secrets, and betrayal, as a dancer-turned-spy must decide how far she will go to secure her freedom
My protector is gone, revealed to be a monster. But I remind myself that I am not a damsel. I’m no princess bound within a tower.
I am a shadow.
Vasalie Moran was once a dancer in King Illian’s court, until he framed her for murder. Barely surviving her two years in the dungeons, she’s suddenly called to face her king. He offers her a deal: become his spy at the six-week royal Gathering and he’ll grant her freedom.
As Illian’s orders grow bloody and dangerous, forcing her to harm and betray those around her, Vasalie discovers that the monster she serves may be aligned with a bigger monster—one far closer to home. With her world threatened, Vasalie enlists the help of Illian’s brother and greatest adversary, the infamous King of the East.
As the rivalry between brothers escalates, with Vasalie caught in the middle, the horrifying truth of her past comes to light. If she wants to survive, she must decide who to trust, who to fight for, and how much of her soul she’s willing to damn in the process.
I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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The premise is great, but the execution (and worldbuilding) didn’t live up to it. I was here to see a disabled dancer learn how to dance again after her disability; instead, we got a character who…mostly just pushes through her pain to do whatever she wants? She doesn’t have to relearn or change much? I liked the idea of her incorporating props into her performances, but the idea wasn’t very ground-breaking – and it didn’t help that the prose was shockingly plain: I was expecting very lush description, because how else do you describe dancing???
Well…very bluntly and mechanically, if you’re Arena, I guess. Which doesn’t at all convey the joy, pleasure, or wonder of dance as art. Doesn’t make it interesting or fun to read about, either.
I immediately had a problem with the worldbuilding when we discovered – very early on – that in the previous generation, a king divided his kingdom in three so each of his three sons (the current kings) could have their own kingdom. That…is so incredibly unbelievable. What monarch would do that? How would that be done? You would have so much work separating them into three new economies! Didn’t you have to invent new currencies? Tax areas? At least two whole new governments?! NO ONE WOULD DO THAT. Not without a war to necessitate it. Where would you find the PEOPLE to be the new departments of education or whatever – presumably most everyone who wanted to work at that already are, so did you split the existing departments in three??? WHAT???
It didn’t really get better from there. A lot of telling-not-showing, too many characters who made no sense to me, and just – generally not the aesthetic/vibe I was hoping for? Prettier prose would have papered over most of those issues for me, but as previously stated, the writing is very plain and not to my taste.
I really hope we get more stories with disabled MCs in the future, though! May this be the first of many!
How were your DNFs this month?
The post February DNFs appeared first on Every Book a Doorway.
February 26, 2025
I Can’t Wait For…Lovely Dark and Deep by Elisa A. Bonnin
Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted over at Wishful Endings to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about but haven’t yet read. Most of the time they’re books that have yet to be released, but not always. It’s based on the Waiting on Wednesday meme, which was originally hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.
This week my Can’t-Wait-For Book is Lovely Dark and Deep by Elisa A. Bonnin!
Lovely Dark and Deep by Elisa A. Bonnin Genres: Fantasy, Contemporary or Urban Fantasy, YA
Representation: Filipino-American MC
Published on: 25th March 2025
Goodreads
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From author Elisa A. Bonnin comes Lovely Dark and Deep, a YA dark academia novel exploring magic, loneliness, and the power of found family.
Hidden off the coast of Washington, veiled in mist, there is an island that does not appear on any map. And on that island is Ellery West.
Ellery West has always been home for Faith. After an international move and a childhood spent adjusting to a new culture and a new language, the acclaimed school for magic feels like the only place she can be herself. That is, until Faith and another student walk into the forest, and only Faith walks out.
Marked with the red stripe across her uniform that designates all students deemed too dangerous to attend regular classes, Faith becomes a social pariah, an exile of Ellery West. But all she has to do is keep her head down for one more year to graduate, and she gets to keep her magic. Because when students fail out of Ellery West, they have their magic taken away. Forever. And Faith can't let that happen.
Except terrifying things are still happening to students, and the dark magic that was unleashed in the forest still seems to be at work. To stop it, Faith and the other Red Stripes will have to work together, risking expulsion from the magical world altogether.
Magic school stories are so hit and miss – I yearn for them, but I don’t often find ones that interest me. Partly because the main characters tend to be similar – so I was DELIGHTED to discover that the main character of Lovely Dark and Deep is Filipina! My fingers are crossed that she can bring a perspective to the usual magic school set-up that we don’t often get.
There seem to be four ‘branches’ of magic in Faith’s world, but WAY more magical abilities than just four – it’s just that they’re all categorised under one of four umbrellas. I’m interested in seeing how that system manifests in practice – I especially hope we get to see a lot of classes!
Which seems likely, because this is a dark academia story, and that usually comes with a hunger/passion/obsession for learning or knowledge – usually knowledge you’re not supposed to have. (Is that how Faith’s friend ended up dead??? PERHAPS.) That being said: if Red Stripes aren’t allowed in classes with everyone else…do they have classes of their own? That seems like a very bad idea, putting all the students with dangerous magic together in one classroom! So maybe that’s not it – or maybe Ellery West doesn’t have a good set-up for dealing with difficult students…
I’m so hoping this actually gets dark, and I’m genuinely interested in meeting all the Red Stripes and seeing them band together!
What are you looking forward to this week?
The post I Can’t Wait For…Lovely Dark and Deep by Elisa A. Bonnin appeared first on Every Book a Doorway.
February 24, 2025
Must-Have Monday #225
Must-Have Monday is a feature highlighting which of the coming week’s new releases I’m excited for. It is not meant to be a comprehensive list of all books being published that week; only those I’m interested in out of those I’m aware of! The focus is diverse SFF, but other genres sneak in occasionally too.
ELEVEN books this week!
(Books are listed in order of pub date, then Adult SFF, Adult Other, YA SFF, YA Other, MG SFF.)
Devotion in the Open Air by Chyina Powell Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Sci Fi, Speculative Fiction
Representation: BIPOC MCs
Published on: 24th February 2025
Goodreads
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Within the pages of Devotion In The Open Air you'll find eighteen stories written by women of color from all walks of life that embrace the beauty in the everyday with speculative tales to bring you out of the fast-paced chaos of real life, immersing you in something much more contented.
This collection of stories delivers relaxed takes on life's real issues such as family trauma, discovering identity, and healing from a past that would rather be forgotten. While all the stories are speculative and low-stakes they are vastly different. Some ask the reader to imagine a world only slightly different from our own while others take you to a new universe entirely. Yet each one invites you to have a seat, pull up a chair, and breathe.
Soft SFF from BIPOC authors??? I’m listening!
Swordheart by T. Kingfisher Genres: Adult, Fantasy
Representation: Minor nonbinary character
Published on: 25th February 2025
Goodreads
{ "@context":"https://schema.org", "@type":"Review", "datePublished": "2025-02-24T09:47:00+00:00", "description": "Men imprisoned in swords, toxic magic, and punching fascists!", "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Every Book a Doorway" }, "url": "https:\/\/everybookadoorway.com\/must-have-monday-225\/", "itemReviewed": { "@type": "Book", "name": "Swordheart", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "T. Kingfisher", "sameAs": "" }, "isbn": "" }, "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sia", "sameAs": "https:\/\/everybookadoorway.com\/" }, "reviewRating": { "@type": "Rating", "ratingValue": false, "bestRating": "5" }}Halla is a housekeeper who has suddenly inherited her great-uncle's estate... and, unfortunately, his relatives. Sarkis is an immortal swordsman trapped in a prison of enchanted steel. When Halla draws the sword that imprisons him, Sarkis finds himself attempting to defend his new wielder against everything from bandits and roving inquisitors to her own in-laws... and the sword itself may prove to be the greatest threat of all.
Swordheart gets its trad release this week! I haven’t heard that the book itself has been updated or rewritten any, but even if you’ve already read the self-published edition, a) you should support the trad release if you can (ask your library to get a copy!), and b) this marks the countdown to the sequels, the first of which is coming next year!!!
The Book of Atrix Wolfe by Patricia A. McKillip Genres: Adult, Fantasy
Published on: 25th February 2025
Goodreads
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In World Fantasy Award–winning author Patricia A. McKillip (The Forgotten Beasts of Eld)’s gorgeous prose, the human world and the realm of faeries dangerously entwine through chaotic magic. This brand new edition featuring an original introduction celebrates the 30th anniversary of this classic fantasy novel.
Discover the spellbinding legend of generational atonement and redemption between a reluctant mage, a powerful wizard, a struggling heir, fae royalty, and a mysterious scullery maid.
When the White Wolf descends upon the battlefield, the results are disastrous. His fateful decision to end a war with powerful magic changes the destiny of four kingdoms: warlike Kardeth, resilient Pelucir, idyllic Chaumenard, and the mysterious Elven realm.
Twenty years later, Prince Talis, orphaned heir to Pelucir, is meant to be the savior of the realm. However, the prince is neither interested in ruling nor a particularly skilled mage. Further, he is obsessed with a corrupted spellbook, and he is haunted by visions from the woods.
The legendary mage Atrix Wolfe has forsaken magic and the world of men. But the Queen of the Wood, whose fae lands overlap Pelucir’s bloody battlefield, is calling Wolfe back. Her consort and her daughter have been missing since the siege, and if Wolfe cannot intervene, the Queen will keep a sacrifice for her own.
I have adored a bunch of McKillip’s standalones, and since I haven’t read The Book of Atrix Wolfe yet, an anniversary edition is a great nudge to finally get to it!
Coyote Run (Amazing Tales of Antifascist Action) by Lilith Saintcrow Genres: Adult, Sci Fi
Published on: 25th February 2025
Goodreads
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In the first Amazing Tale of Antifascist Action, New York Times bestselling author Lilith Saintcrow serves up science fiction pulp in a North America fractured by drones, bioweapons, and ideology, giving us a heroine practically made out of violent resistance.
THE RUNNER
Just behind the front lines of a war they call “civil,” the shifter called Coyote is tough, fast, ugly—and known for taking jobs nobody else will.
THE JOB
Marge’s sister is locked in a prison camp civilians shouldn’t know about, deep in enemy territory. Rescuing her will take a plan made of weapons-grade insanity.
THE TRICK
To get in, all Coyote has to do is get caught.
THE PAYOFF
None, unless the satisfaction of killing an old enemy counts. And maybe a few small bounties from murdering fascist clones…
RUN, COYOTE. RUN.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Lilith Saintcrow is criminally under-known, and HELLS YES I’m here for antifa wish-fulfilment! Gimme!
Blightshade by Alison Wright Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Queer MC
Published on: 25th February 2025
Goodreads
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"Lorne’s magic is rotting him from the inside out."
As the only Curse Crafter in the city of Veil, Lorne Atwater is already out of place in witch society and as a mysterious blight rots his magic, he’s only growing more volatile. So, Lorne cuts all ties, hides within an illusion of perfection, and searches fruitlessly for a cure.
But vengeful curse victim—Sacha Finch—corners Lorne into an impossible break Finch’s curse in exchange for a cure to the blight.
For the chance to save his magic, Lorne must confront the relationships he’s severed, expose his diseased magic, and face the very monster who blighted him.
FASCINATED by the idea of being poisoned by your own magic; that is definitely one of my favourite tropes!
The Prince's Heart by Ben Chalfin Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: M/M
Published on: 25th February 2025
Goodreads
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Red, White, and Royal Blue meets The Goblin Emperor in this enchanting LGBTQIA+ Romantasy set in the mystical realm of Soeria, where a prince must choose between duty and heart.
In the heart of Soeria, where royal bloodlines carve the paths of destiny, Prince Darien Garros, the kingdom's beloved second son, faces the age-old clash between duty and desire. For years, Darien has dodged the court's expectations to find a suitable match, yearning instead for a love that values the man behind the crown. His longing seems answered in Tag Leara, whose charm and genuine affection ignite a hope Darien dared not admit.
Yet, fate is a fickle master. A sudden tragedy propels Darien into a role he never sought, challenging his deepest convictions. As the weight of legacy and the whispers of power threaten to suffocate him, Darien confronts the ultimate test. Torn between the call of his blood and the pull of his heart, he stands at a crossroads that could reshape the future of Soeria itself.
With every choice comes a price, and Darien must decide: Will he follow the stringent demands of royalty, or will he choose the perilous path of love? In a world where allegiance and affection collide, Prince Darien's story is a testament to the enduring battle between the crowns we bear and the hearts we hold dear.
"The Prince’s Heart is a poignant, queer romance set against a backdrop of political cut-and-thrust that will make you both cry and cheer. Chalfin perfectly balances the personal drama of Darien’s quest for true love with the terrifying consequences it could have on Soeria. He expertly broke my heart, healed it, and broke it again. I promise you’ll be rooting for Darien, Tag, and Soeria with all your heart, too.”
– Althea Lyons, author of the Seer of York series
My eyebrows hit the ceiling when I read those comps – someone in the marketing department is making bold claims – but what if they’re legit? It does happen sometimes! Clearly I need to investigate for myself!
The Adjudicator by Susan Daitch Genres: Adult, Sci Fi
Published on: 25th February 2025
Goodreads
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Award-winning author Susan Daitch's new novel, The Adjudicator, is a visionary cyberpunk mystery that explores the boundaries of consciousness and individual autonomy within an authoritarian state that controls the genetics of its citizens.
In a near future where the surveillance state legislates the genetic code of its citizens, babies are created in a laboratory according to a template set by parents and the corporation. It is a utopian world of perfect control, where disease has been eliminated and the human genome has reached apotheosis. Mistakes, though unlikely, still occur, and it is adjudicator Zedi Loew’s job to fix them. One day, a cold case file based on an absurd premise crosses her that gene-coding can go beyond structuring the body, it can alter consciousness. Fearing exposure, Zedi’s boss makes the case top priority, and she has only a few days to solve it. The case will prove to be an entry into a dangerous labyrinth, and Zedi follows a taut thread of information, one which, she will learn, connects to the corporation’s hidden mechanism of power as well as her own origin story.
So many reasons I don’t want the government controlling my genes! Let’s see how many more Daitch has thought of…
Trans Technologies by Oliver Haimson Genres: Adult
Representation: Trans
Published on: 25th February 2025
Goodreads
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How technology creates new possibilities for transgender people, and how trans experiences, in turn, create new possibilities for technology.
Mainstream technologies often exclude or marginalize transgender users. Trans Technologies describes what happens when trans people take technology design into their own hands. Oliver Haimson, whose research into gender transition and technology has defined this area of study, draws on transgender studies and his own in-depth interviews with more than 100 creators of technology—including apps, games, health resources, extended reality systems, and supplies designed to address challenges trans people face—to explain what trans technology is and to explore its present possibilities and limitations, as well as its future prospects.
Haimson surveys the landscape of trans technologies to reveal the design processes that brought these technologies to life, and to show how trans people often must rely on community, technology, and the combination of the two to meet their basic needs and challenges. His work not only identifies the role of trans technology in caring for individuals within the trans community, but also shows how trans technology creation empowers some trans people to create their own tools for navigating the world. Articulating which trans needs and challenges are currently being addressed by technology and which still need to be addressed; describing how trans technology creators are accomplishing this work; examining how privilege, race, and access to resources impact which trans technologies are built and who may be left out; and highlighting new areas of innovation to be explored, Trans Technologies opens the way to meaningful social change.
I don’t usually feature nonfiction, but transness + tech is kind of relevant to my interests!
The Wildest Things by Andrea Hannah Genres: Fantasy, Queer Protagonists, YA
Representation: Queer MC
Published on: 25th February 2025
Goodreads
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In this sapphic Snow White retelling, if Snow is to save her kingdom from being ravaged by the Blight, she’ll have to kill the Evil Queen’s daughter…if she doesn’t fall in love with her first.
When her glass coffin unexpectedly shatters, Snow White awakens to anything but a dream. The land is rotting. The animals have mutated. In the twenty years that have passed since Snow bit into the poisoned apple, the kingdom of Roanfrost has transformed from a luscious wild land to a blight-ravaged nightmare. In search of answers and a way to restore her kingdom to its former glory, Snow sets out on a dangerous journey that will test the strength she never knew she had.
Friends will become foes.
New alliances will form.
The Queen with the blood red lips will stop at nothing to seize her power as well as her heart.
If Snow has any chance to survive and restore not only her kingdom, but all of Garedenne, her only option is to become the Seasonkeeper and access the life-giving magic that will heal the plague. But the path to becoming the Seasonkeeper is more treacherous than she could ever imagine—because the wild things have awakened and Snow’s darker impulses yearn to set them free.
Snow White is FAR from my favourite fairytale, but I admit to being very curious about this retelling! Mutated settings and season-magic? And dare I hope that these ‘dark urges’ Snow experiences are actually dark??? It’s worth checking out!
Momo Arashima Duels the Queen of Death (Momo Arashima #3) by Misa Sugiura Genres: Fantasy, Contemporary or Urban Fantasy, MG
Representation: Japanese-American MC
Published on: 25th February 2025
Goodreads
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In the thrilling finale to the epic fantasy series filled with gods and monsters of Shinto mythology, a twelve-year-old girl with divine heritage risks everything to save her family – and the world – from the vengeful goddess of the underworld.
Momo Arashima just wants an ordinary life. But she's about to become legendary . . .
Momo Arashima is half goddess and half human – torn between two worlds. But with her friends Danny, Ryleigh, Jin and Niko by her side, she’s finally starting to find a place where she belongs. Too bad none of that matters when Izanami, the treacherous goddess of death, threatens the life of someone Momo loves and forces her into a terrible bargain.
Izanami is after the Jewel of the Heart, an artefact that will help her finally escape the land of the dead . . . and she wants Momo to get it for her. Along with her friends, Momo must face fire demons, fanged mermaids,and spiders as big as horses. But even if they succeed, what will Momo do? Sacrifice the person most precious to her, or hand over the Jewel and unleash Izanami on the world?
See what readers are saying about Momo Arashima Steals the Sword of the Wind:
'If you love books with action, adventure and a heartwarming spirit, as well as many twists and turns as a bowl of ramen, this book is absolutely perfect for you' - Amaya, aged 10, LoveReading4Kids reviewer
'I loved this funny, complex and exciting story! The action never stops as the author brilliantly blends adventure with Japanese folklore to deliver a barnstorming novel, with themes of adventure, family and identity' - School librarian, Reading Zone reviewer
'Misa Sugiura's Momo Arashima Steals the Sword of the Wind has all the hallmarks of a fantasy classic . . . edge-of-your-seat energetic, with comic moments and emotional depth' - LoveReading4Kids reviewer
I’m JUST getting into Middle-Grade fantasy, so I haven’t read the earlier books in this trilogy yet – but I want to!
Hell to Pay (Tear Down Heaven) by Rachel Aaron Genres: Adult, Fantasy
Published on: 28th February 2025
Goodreads
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It's been one month since Bex's rebel crew took over the Seattle Anchor, and things have been suspiciously good. They're emancipating slaves by the busload, earning money from their thriving Free Market, and basically living the Gilgamesh-free life of their dreams. It's what Bex always wanted for her people, so why does she feel so uneasy?
It could be because she's working twenty-hour days desperately trying to free her wrath demons. Or because Gilgamesh has sealed off all the Anchors still under his control, creating a worldwide shortage of the magical quintessence their new fortress needs to stay afloat.
Everywhere Bex looks, timers are ticking down on the safe haven she's built for her demons, but the biggest threat is the one she doesn't see, because Heaven hasn't been idle. The man who killed the gods knows how to handle a rebellion. The closer the demons get to victory, the tighter the invisible noose becomes, and when the Queen of Wrath crosses the final line, there will be Hell to Pay.
Aaron has been an auto-buy author for me since her Heartstriker series, and Hell to Pay is the finale of her latest urban fantasy series! I AM GRABBY-HANDS!
Will you be reading any of these? Did I miss any releases you think I should know about? Let me know!
The post Must-Have Monday #225 appeared first on Every Book a Doorway.
February 21, 2025
Lovely, But Not Worth It: Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite
Murder by Memory (Dorothy Gentleman, #1) by Olivia Waite Genres: Adult, Queer Protagonists, Sci Fi
Representation: Sapphic MC, secondary M/M
PoV: First-person, past-tense
Published on: 18th March 2025
ISBN: 1250342252
Goodreads
A Memory Called Empire meets Miss Marple in this cozy, spaceborne mystery, helmed by a no-nonsense formidable auntie of a detective.
Welcome to the HMS Fairweather, Her Majesty’s most luxurious interstellar passenger liner! Room and board are included, new bodies are graciously provided upon request, and should you desire a rest between lifetimes, your mind shall be most carefully preserved in glass in the Library, shielded from every danger.
Near the topmost deck of an interstellar generation ship, Dorothy Gentleman wakes up in a body that isn’t hers—just as someone else is found murdered. As one of the ship’s detectives, Dorothy usually delights in unraveling the schemes on board the Fairweather, but when she finds that someone is not only killing bodies but purposefully deleting minds from the Library, she realizes something even more sinister is afoot.
Dorothy suspects her misfortune is partly the fault of her feckless nephew Ruthie who, despite his brilliance as a programmer, leaves chaos in his cheerful wake. Or perhaps the sultry yarn store proprietor—and ex-girlfriend of the body Dorothy is currently inhabiting—knows more than she’s letting on. Whatever it is, Dorothy intends to solve this case. Because someone has done the impossible and found a way to make murder on the Fairweather a very permanent state indeed. A mastermind may be at work—and if so, they’ve had three hundred years to perfect their schemes…
I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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~KNITTING
~an inventors’ club
~being shelved together is The Most Romantic
~a drunk AI
I don’t often use this word, but: Murder by Memory is such a fun little romp!
Near the topmost deck, in a small lift with glass walls and flickering buttons, I, Dorothy Gentleman, ship’s detective, opened a pair of eyes and licked a pair of lips and awoke in a body that wasn’t mine.
It also very deftly and economically sketches out a setting I really want more of: the Fairweather is a spaceship that is functionally a city, carrying 10,000+ people from Earth to some new planet they won’t reach for centuries. Unlike a generation ship, though, the Fairweather intends to land with its original passengers, not their descendants, and it’s done this by granting them a kind of immortality: when they die, a digital copy of their consciousness is placed in a new copy of their body, and ta da, they’re walking around again!
(I immediately wanted to know if anyone was having children in this set-up, if that was allowed, but no word on that in this instalment.)
Even though the Fairweather seems to function as a kind of utopia, there are still accidents and crimes, which means there are still detectives – although I was fascinated to discover that they don’t have the power to arrest anyone; they’re literally just supposed to investigate. Our MC Dorothy is one of these detectives, and is called out of digital storage after some very suspicious things go down.
Murder by Memory has a quite lovely Gilded Age vibe to it, despite the far-future setting, and it’s plenty cosy. We have a ship AI who can get drunk; a library of crystal books where the passengers’ consciousnesses are stored; and cocktails that are made of memories instead of alcohol. There are little hints of worldbuilding that made me hungry to know more, like romances that last centuries, a reference to ‘turns’ that implies not every passenger is embodied at the same time (why not?), and the plan to give up immortality when they eventually reach their new planet. (That seems a naive expectation, but okay.) And of course, this is a form of immortality that I really hate, because it’s not immortality – the original consciousness doesn’t live forever, it just keeps getting copied, and I wonder if the passengers will realise that and have to face it when they reach the planet and are supposed to stay in just the one body until it dies?
Dorothy isn’t a hyper-genius like Sherlock Holmes, but she’s smart and methodical and deeply nosy (in a way that might be annoying to live with, but definitely makes her a great character). It certainly doesn’t take her very long to tease out what happened and why. The picture that’s revealed bit by bit is deeply horrifying but sadly believable – yeah, I can buy that terrible people might do that – but the tone is light enough that I doubt most readers will have trouble sleeping afterwards or anything.
It’s a lovely little read, an easy four-stars.
But…
Maybe it’s just that I don’t read enough novellas, but I was left feeling…really unsatisfied, like, that’s it??? Comparing it to the other novellas I’ve read recently – Adrift in Currents Clear and Clean and Orb of Cairado – Murder by Memory feels lacking. Not in quality – it deserves all of its four stars, and I’d give it four point five if the plugin I use to mark ratings let me! But Adrift and Orb both felt chunkier, chewier – they packed a lot more story into their pages.
This might be helped by the fact that both are significantly longer – Adrift is 140 pages on my ereader; Orb, 149 pages. Murder by Memory, on the other hand, is only 80 pages on my ereader.
Look: on the dreaded Big River site, Murder by Memory is $12. Adrift, which is published by Tordotcom just like Murder, is $13. I don’t begrudge it that price, for the record. But paying only one dollar less for Murder, which is about half the length???
Tor, I love you, and I have defended your novella prices for years…but no freaking way.
Murder by Memory is lovely. If you want to read it, I recommend you borrow it from the library. Paying $12 for it – or $20.45, for the hardcover! – makes no sense.
The post Lovely, But Not Worth It: Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite appeared first on Every Book a Doorway.
February 19, 2025
I Can’t Wait For…Higher Magic by Courtney Floyd
Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted over at Wishful Endings to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about but haven’t yet read. Most of the time they’re books that have yet to be released, but not always. It’s based on the Waiting on Wednesday meme, which was originally hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.
This week my Can’t-Wait-For Book is Higher Magic by Courtney Floyd!
Higher Magic by Courtney Floyd Genres: Adult, Fantasy
Representation: MC with clinical anxiety
Published on: 7th October 2025
Goodreads
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She always felt like an impostor…
First-generation graduate student Dorothe Bartleby has one last chance to pass the Magic program’s qualifying exam. If she fails, she’ll be kicked out of the university, losing access to higher magic and her chance to prove classic literature contained spells that rebuilt the world.
Still reeling from the paralyzing anxiety that made her freeze on her first attempt, she’s horrified when her adviser insists she reframe her entire dissertation using Digimancy. Mages may have found a way to make computers and magic work together, but throw Bartleby into the mix, and nothing ever goes right.
This time is no exception. Her revised working goes horribly wrong, creating a talking skull named Anne that narrates Bartleby’s inner thoughts—even the most embarrassing ones—like she’s a heroine in a Jane Austen novel.
Facing the scrutiny of her professors, increasingly frequent panic attacks and the impending deadline, Bartleby doubts whether she’s fit to become a Mage at all. Out of her depth, she recruits James, an unfairly attractive Mage candidate, hoping he can help her correct the code and stop Anne’s glitches in time for her exam.
Instead, Anne leads them to a shocking and dangerous magic students who seek disability accommodations are disappearing—quite literally. When the administration fails to act, Bartleby must learn to trust in her knowledge and skills…and begin to rewrite her own story. Otherwise, she risks losing both the missing students and her future as a Mage, permanently.
Adult magic-school! A(n?) MC with anxiety!! A quest to end disability discrimination!!!
And – sorry, what was that?!
classic literature contained spells that rebuilt the world
YEAH I’M GOING TO NEED ABOUT 500 PAGES OF ELABORATION ON THIS AMAZING CONCEPT, PLEASE AND THANK YOU!
I know this isn’t out until October and I’ve been trying to showcase books that are releasing not-so-long after the post BUT COME ON! There was no way I could resist!
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna go back to heart-eyes-ing at that cover!
The post I Can’t Wait For…Higher Magic by Courtney Floyd appeared first on Every Book a Doorway.
February 17, 2025
Must-Have Monday #224
Must-Have Monday is a feature highlighting which of the coming week’s new releases I’m excited for. It is not meant to be a comprehensive list of all books being published that week; only those I’m interested in out of those I’m aware of! The focus is diverse SFF, but other genres sneak in occasionally too.
SEVEN books this week!
(Books are listed in order of pub date, then Adult SFF, Adult Other, YA SFF, YA Other, MG SFF.)
Magic in the Melanin: A Black Fantasy Anthology by Melanin Library Genres: Adult, Fantasy
Representation: Black MCs
Published on: 18th February 2025
Goodreads
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In this anthology, everybody is Black.
Filled with epic battles, complicated families, soft kisses, and sharpened blades, Magic in the Melanin is an adult fantasy anthology that showcases Black authors who write magical stories of all kinds. Featuring full-page artwork to accompany your adventure through the pages, this anthology is what fantasy looks like when Blackness is centered and the imaginations of Black creators are unhindered. Dive into these stories and discover countless worlds where magic is truly in the melanin.
The proceeds from this anthology will go to supporting the Melanin Library, an online database of books written by Black authors. Share and support to ensure the library remains a free resource for everyone.
Short story collections like this are always a great way to find new authors to love, and I’m crossing my fingers I find a bunch here!
Wooing the Witch Queen (Queens of Villainy, #1) by Stephanie Burgis Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Bisexual MCs
Published on: 18th February 2025
Goodreads
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In a Gaslamp-lit world where hags and ogres lurk in thick pine forests, three magical queens form an uneasy alliance to protect their lands from invasion…and love turns their world upside down.
Queen Saskia is the wicked sorceress everyone fears. After successfully wrestling the throne from her evil uncle, she only wants one thing: to keep her people safe from the empire next door. For that, she needs to spend more time in her laboratory experimenting with her spells. She definitely doesn’t have time to bring order to her chaotic library of magic.
When a mysterious dark wizard arrives at her castle, Saskia hires him as her new librarian on the spot. “Fabian” is sweet and a little nerdy, and his requests seem a little strange – what in the name of Divine Elva is a fountain pen? – but he’s getting the job done. And if he writes her flirtatious poetry and his innocent touch makes her skin singe, well…
Little does Saskia know that the "wizard" she’s falling for is actually an Imperial archduke in disguise, with no magical training whatsoever. On the run, with perilous secrets on his trail and a fast growing yearning for the wicked sorceress, he's in danger from her enemies and her newfound allies, too. When his identity is finally revealed, will their love save or doom each other?
A bi-for-bi witch-queen romance! Burgis always charms, and I’ve been looking forward to the start of the Queens of Villainy series for AGES! So excited to finally meet Saskia!
The Witch of Versailles by Jessica Mason Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Historical Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: F/F
Published on: 18th February 2025
Goodreads
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At the dawn of the reign of the Sun King, an ambitious actress turns to magic to advance her dreams, then poison to keep them alive. Claude de Vin Des Oeillets rises from the bottom of Parisian society in 1660 to become both servant and lover to Madame de Montespan, a marquise with grand plans for a place in the new paradise of Versailles and the bed of Louis XIV.
A spider in a web of court intrigue and secret affairs, Claude rises ever higher, into the orbit of the King himself, but finds she must resort to dark arts and dangerous alliances on behalf of the woman she loves to stay in his golden light.
Based on the infamous "Affair of the Poisons," The Witch of Versailles combines deeply researched historical detail with the supernatural, political, and romantic in an electric combination. Full of vivid detail, shocking twists, and searing romance, this epic tale casts a new spell on history.
Queer historical fantasy, in the decadent setting of Versailles??? Um, yes PLEASE!
Hungerstone by Kat Dunn Genres: Adult, Horror, Queer Protagonists
Representation: F/F
Published on: 18th February 2025
Goodreads
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Hungerstone is a thrillingly seductive sapphic romance for fans of S.T. Gibson’s A Dowry of Blood and Emilia Hart’s Weyward.
For what do you hunger, Lenore?
Lenore is the wife of steel magnate Henry, but ten years into their marriage, the relationship has soured and no child has arrived to fill the distance growing between them. Henry's ambitions take them out of London and to the imposing Nethershaw manor in the countryside, where Henry aims to host a hunt with society’s finest. Lenore keeps a terrible secret from the last time her husband hunted, and though they never speak of it, it haunts their marriage to this day.
The preparations for the event take a turn when a carriage accident near their remote home brings the mysterious Carmilla into Lenore's life. Carmilla who is weak and pale during the day but vibrant at night; Carmilla who stirs up a hunger deep within Lenore. Soon girls from local villages begin to fall sick before being consumed by a bloody hunger.
Torn between regaining her husband's affection and Carmilla's ever-growing presence, Lenore begins to unravel her past and in doing so, uncovers a darkness in her household that will place her at terrible risk . . .
Set against the violent wilderness of the moors and the uncontrolled appetite of the industrial revolution, Hungerstone is a compulsive feminist reworking of Carmilla, the book that inspired Dracula: a captivating story of appetite and desire.
This might have released in the UK already? I’m a bit confused about that, but this week the US gets this retake on Carmilla! (Also, is anyone else tickled that Dunn named her Gothic heroine Lenore???)
Lucha of the Forgotten Spring by Tehlor Kay Mejia Genres: Fantasy, Queer Protagonists, YA
Representation: Latina sapphic MC, F/F
Published on: 18th February 2025
Goodreads
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Fresh off her triumph in the Night Forest, Lucha Moya is back in Robado to settle unfinished business. The stunning fantasy duology about addiction, power, and love comes to a close in tale of treacherous villains, environmental disaster, and a love triangle its heroine doesn’t see coming.
Lucha Moya has always wanted one thing--to be free of the place she once called home. After defeating the rogue god of olvida, the forgetting drug, Lucha leaves the fortress of the acolytes—which houses her sister and Paz, a girl she never thought she’d fall in love with—to return to Robado one last time and eradicate the drug from existence. There, everything is worse this time around. Amidst the suffering, she surprises herself by seeing something familiar in the eyes of the villagers--her own hope and desperation reflected back at her.
Suddenly, her village and, more importantly, the people who live in it, are worth saving, not discarding. She even finds herself falling for one of the Robadans, which puts her feelings for Paz into question. Lucha's training and whirlwind experiences develop her as a fierce leader who'll do anything to protect her people. But even as she tries, some thing is lurking once again in the Night Forest, eager to claim its prize.
Will Lucha be able to step into her power once again to save the only home she's ever known, or will she lose everything she's fought so hard to obtain?
In the finale of this gorgeous and fast-paced fantasy duology from acclaimed author Tehlor Kay Mejia is brimming with adventure, romance, the burning questions of what it means to be a leader and how to listen to your heart when it's being pulled in two directions.
The conclusion of the Lucha Moya duology! If you’ve been waiting for the series to be finished before you start it, you officially have no more excuses not to pounce on this one!
The Chimes by Anna Smaill Genres: Queer Protagonists, Sci Fi, YA
Representation: M/M
Published on: 18th February 2025
Goodreads
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'The Chimes is a remarkable debut. It's inventive, beautifully written, and completely absorbing. I highly recommend it.' Kevin Powers, author of The Yellow Birds
A mind-expanding literary debut composed of memory, music and imagination.
A boy stands on the roadside on his way to London, alone in the rain.
No memories, beyond what he can hold in his hands at any given moment.
No directions, as written words have long since been forbidden.
No parents - just a melody that tugs at him, a thread to follow. A song that says if he can just get to the capital, he may find some answers about what happened to them.
The world around Simon sings, each movement a pulse of rhythm, each object weaving its own melody, music ringing in every drop of air.
Welcome to the world of The Chimes. Here, life is orchestrated by a vast musical instrument that renders people unable to form new memories. The past is a mystery, each new day feels the same as the last, and before is blasphony.
But slowly, inexplicably, Simon is beginning to remember. He emerges from sleep each morning with a pricking feeling, and sense there is something he urgently has to do. In the city Simon meets Lucien, who has a gift for hearing, some secrets of his own, and a theory about the danger lurking in Simon's past.
A stunning debut composed of memory, music, love and freedom, The Chimes pulls you into a world that will captivate, enthral and inspire.
WINNER OF THE 2016 WORLD FANTASY AWARD FOR BEST NOVEL
LONGLISTED FOR THE 2015 MAN BOOKER PRIZE
An Elle Book of the Year
An Independent Book of the Year
One to Watch Independent on Sunday
A Bookseller Best Debut of 2015
One to Watch 2015 Huffington Post
An Amazon Rising Star
A new edition of an old favourite, this is an absolutely gorgeous novel written with tons of musical imagery – because in the world of Chimes, music is how humans hold on to memory. Deeply beloved and highly recommended!
Birthday Party Demon by Wendy Dalrymple Genres: Horror, Queer Protagonists, YA
Representation: Sapphic MC
Published on: 18th February 2025
Goodreads
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BFFs Tina, Eve, and Lacey come together for a Sweet 16 slumber party that goes sideways when they accidentally summon more than a good time.
After Lacey becomes possessed and traps her friends in a fashion catalog, Tina and Eve must find their way out of a totally fabulous new world before the demon overtakes Lacey's body completely.
Wendy Dalrymple's YA pink-horror novella is a 90s fever dream that marries the witchy vibe of The Craft with the campy flavor of Jennifer's Body and a neon splash of My Best Friend's Exorcism.
Love this aesthetic, and I suspect it’ll be more fun than scary!
Will you be reading any of these? Did I miss any releases you think I should know about? Let me know!
The post Must-Have Monday #224 appeared first on Every Book a Doorway.
February 8, 2025
Like Blown Glass: The Gilded Crown by Marianne Gordon
The Gilded Crown (The Raven's Trade, #1) by Marianne Gordon Genres: Fantasy, High Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Sapphic MC, secondary M/M, queernorm world
PoV: Third-person, past-tense
ISBN: 0008536112
Goodreads
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The Witch’s Heart meets The Foxglove King in this debut novel about a woman who can bring people back from the dead, and the princess — and only heir to the throne — that she must protect, no matter the cost.
The first time Hellevir visited Death, she was ten years old…
Since she was a little girl, Hellevir has been able to raise the dead. Every creature can be saved for a price, a price demanded by the shrouded figure who rules the afterlife, who takes a little more from Hellevir with each soul she resurrects.
Such a gift can rarely remain a secret. When Princess Sullivain, sole heir to the kingdom’s throne, is assassinated, the Queen summons Hellevir to demand she bring her granddaughter back to life. But once is not enough; the killers might strike again. The Princess’ death would cause a civil war, so the Queen commands that Hellevir remain by her side.
But Sullivain is no easy woman to be bound to, even as Hellevir begins to fall in love with her. With the threat of war looming, Hellevir must trade more and more of herself to keep the princess alive.
But Death will always take what he is owed.
~sapphic necromancy
~crow animal companion!
~eel squiggles
~find the treasures
~try not to piss off Death
(This is not the official cover, which is hideous: this is the cover that originally went out on the paper advance reader copies, which is a) prettier and b) a much more accurate representation of the book!)
Gordon’s debut is a book I didn’t expect to care much about, but what was meant to be an idle glance at the opening pages turned into a drop-everything, forget-to-eat reading frenzy. And yet frenzy feels like the wrong word, because Gilded Crown is not a frantic, breakneck kind of story. It’s more of a silken riptide, giving the impression of something delicately and beautifully created, like blown glass – but also quietly implacable, unbreakable, like an ancient oak tree.
I’ve read it twice now, and I still love it.
The first time Hellevir visited Death, she was ten years old.
Tell me that’s not a STELLAR first line!!!
Hellevir can talk to animals, see spirits (think elementals, not ghosts), and enter Death – and once there, she can bargain to bring a person back to life. But it hasn’t worked out well for her; bringing back her mother, who died in childbirth, fractures her family, and when she dares resurrect the crown princess, she becomes a prisoner in a gilded cage for the throne.
It’s Gordon’s prose that elevates this story for me; delicate really is the word that comes to mind, and the description of the natural world, the use of nature imagery in similes and the like, is beautifully done. Writing this way also helps reinforce one of the biggest themes in the story, that of heathenism vs… I’m not sure what to call it. Monotheism, maybe? Hellevir follows the traditions of her homeland, which recognise spirits in the trees and the hearths, and acknowledges that occasionally there are people who can talk to birds; it’s seen as more closely tied to the earth, the land, literally grounded in reality. There’s no name for this tradition, and no gods are ever named (though a few are referred to), and there don’t seem to be any rules of behaviour in it – no Ten Commandments. Whereas Onaistism, the monotheistic religion swiftly gaining popularity in places like the capital city, burns people like Hellevir. The conflict between the two practices grows stronger and more overt throughout the book, and Gordon places us inside that conflict, squarely on Hellevir’s side, not just by writing what she does, but by writing the way she does, down to imagery and word choices.
I approve immensely.
the swans drifting like dropped petals along the nearby canal.
the curl of hair like a snail’s shell over one ear.
Her heart skipped like a stone over water,
But there’s also the wonderful surprise that is Gordon deliberately rejecting a number of expected tropes in this story. One reason I hate the official cover is that it screams (Trying-To-Be-)Dark Romantasy, but Gilded Crown is not a romance, and the way Gordon handled Hellevir and Princess Sullivain’s relationship delighted me because it doesn’t follow the predictable path – sure, Hellevir catches feelings, but she never gives in to them, and everyone, including the narrative, makes sure she never forgets that Sullivain is Terrible, Actually.
That balance – Sullivain being attractive, having a massively appealing side, but also being awful – applies to everything. Hellevir’s parents are an excellent example: on the surface, Hellevir’s mother is bitter and cold to Hellevir, believing her gifts are some kind of evil, while her father is supportive and warm. But gradually, we realise – the narrative points out – that Hellevir’s mother wasn’t able to practise her religion in Hellevir’s childhood home. And if that’s so, who wasn’t letting her? Hellevir’s so-kind father, presumably. Hellevir’s mother has pretty understandable reasons for being the way she is, and the loving father isn’t an uncomplicatedly good guy either. Almost nothing is perfectly simple; it’s all tangled and complicated – while managing to feel quite direct and easy to read.
I put Gilded Crown on my Best Backlist Reads of 2024, and I’m still convinced it deserves to be there. This is a book that’s flown a bit under the radar – the wrong readers picked it up because of its STUPID cover, while the readers who would love it are mostly unaware of it. But I hope it keeps being found by the readers it’s meant for – because seriously; Marianne Gordon is clearly one to watch!
The post Like Blown Glass: The Gilded Crown by Marianne Gordon appeared first on Every Book a Doorway.
February 6, 2025
Wonderfully Frank: A Harvest of Hearts by Andrea Eames
A Harvest of Hearts by Andrea Eames Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Secondary World Fantasy
Representation: ugly MC
PoV: 1st-person, past-tense
Published on: 4th March 2025
ISBN: 164566192X
Goodreads
In the beloved tradition of Howl’s Moving Castle, a whimsical and unforgettable story of fantastic adventure, common sense, and the power of love to overcome the greatest of obstacles . . .
Before Foss Butcher was Snagged, she thought no more of the magic-users than did anyone else in her tiny village. Sometimes gorgeous women in impossible carriages rolled into town and took bits of people’s hearts. Everyone knew hearts fueled their magic. But Foss, plain, clumsy, and practical as a boot, never expected anyone would want hers.
True enough, when the only sorcerer in the kingdom stepped from his glossy carriage, he didn’t intend to hook Foss. Sylvester’s riot of black curls and perfectly etched cheekbones caught her eye a moment too long, that was all. Suddenly, Foss is cursed and finds herself stomping toward the grand City to keep his enchanted House, where her only friend is a talking cat and the walls themselves have moods.
But as Foss learns the ways of magic, she realizes she’s far from its only unwilling captive. Even Sylvester is hemmed in by spells and threats. It’s said this sorcery protects king, country, and order for thousands. If Foss wants to free herself—and, perhaps, Sylvester—she’ll have to confront it all . . . and uncover the blight nestled in the heart of the kingdom itself.
I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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~the kingdom’s downfall…is mould
~one very excellent talking cat
~sentient houses ftw
~put that heart back where it came from, or so help me!
I probably wouldn’t have picked up Harvest of Hearts if it wasn’t being published by Erewhon Press, aka my favourite indie – and that would have been a shame, because it’s a marvellous little book!
The blurb is not wrong: Harvest does bear a tiny, superficial resemblance to Howl’s Moving Castle – they both feature brilliant, no-nonsense girls ending up as housekeepers to ridiculous wizards under false pretences. They both have wonderful not-human companion characters – Calcifer in Howl’s Moving Castle, and Cornelius the cat in Harvest.
But that’s it! They are not the same story, and Harvest never struck me as derivative. The similarities are only set-dressing. So please adjust your expectations accordingly – if you’re looking for another Howl’s Moving Castle, this is not it.
Now that that’s out of the way, let’s talk about what Harvest is!
the city’s blooming flowers that clambered over every wall, great fat things with too many petals, like women wearing all their best clothes at once.
Harvest is defined by Foss, the main character who is also our narrator. Foss is a delightfully no-nonsense, practical young woman, very direct and blunt and – not crude, exactly, but – earthy? Frank. She calls it like she sees it, and a lot of what she says are things plenty of us have to be thinking, but that almost no one mentions;
he stepped a few feet ahead and led me forwards, tail up and twitching, his little cat arsehole winking at me with each step.
If you have ever walked behind a cat, you have absolutely had this moment too!
I really, really loved this about Foss. I loved that she could talk about the practicalities of being a butcher without flinching or prettifying the work; I loved that she masturbates and doesn’t couch that in euphemisms either (take a second and think about how rarely you see any mention of women masturbating in fiction); I loved her phrasing, the imagery and word choices that make her sound like exactly what she is, a young woman who’s grown up in a rural village, doing manual, blue-collar work, deeply sceptical of Fancy Stuff. A neat example is the repeated use of the word ‘sparklies’ to refer to the Extremely Expensive jewel-work all over rich people’s clothes and carriages and whatnot – instead of being awed, instead of waxing poetic about jewels and gems, we get the dismissive, kind of patronising term ‘sparklies’, as if she’s talking about kids playing dress-up or birds collecting bottle-caps. This kind of attention to detail is everywhere present in Foss’ narration, and helps make the sense of her personality so clear and strong.
I can’t remember the last time I saw an author craft first-person narration with so much care, paying so much attention to word choice and imagery, making sure every word reinforces the character. It’s just – *chef’s kiss*
a long black leather boot with a shine on it like the wet on a dog’s nose
I also really, REALLY love that FOSS ISN’T PRETTY. She’s not even ‘plain’; she’s outright unattractive, physically, and is well aware of it. It’s so freaking rare for us to get a fantasy heroine (especially one in a story that has such a strong romantic element) who isn’t beautiful that Foss’ looks are almost a novelty, but they’re also plot-relevant. Being Snagged means Foss is magically compelled to love the sorcerer who Snagged her – and one of the many torturous aspects of this is her belief that someone ugly crushing on someone who is magically beautiful (as the sorcerer is) is extra shameful; she’s humiliated by it, by this aspect of it specifically. That her free will has been taken away is already awful, but she’s aware of how ridiculous most people would think her for swooning after someone so pretty when she isn’t, and that burns badly. Honestly, anyone who’s ever had doubts about their looks (and who hasn’t?) is going to identify with Foss a lot; it’s not that she goes on and on about not being pretty, because she doesn’t – but her moments of shame, shyness, unhappiness about it cut to the core.
And – minor spoiler, I guess? – no one magics her pretty at any point. I was so relieved that she got to stay unpretty!
There was nary a beggar to be seen. They probably gave them a kick and sent them rolling downhill if they dared to venture up this far.
That the sorcerers are all exquisitely, inhumanly beautiful is a powerful contrast to Foss’ looks and status, and I really appreciated that. Although the fact that the king, who is the ultimate villain, is fat and ugly, undermined it in a way that surprised me. That was jarring.
(Also don’t really love that the sorcerers are actually sorceresses – they’re all women, except for the one man who Snagged Foss, who is the love interest and thus Not Evil like the rest.)
I disagree with all the PR calling this a cosy fantasy, by the way. It’s…really not? Foss is in physical and psychological anguish for most of the book, and the big plot is the discovery that the sorcerers the kingdom depends on are routinely killing people – slowly and awfully – to power their magic. She’s almost killed multiple times. The sorcerers are genuinely monstrous (wait until you discover how they become sorcerers) and their magic runs on literal human hearts, which we see a lot of. The only way to save the day is to sacrifice – quite a lot!!! A very big, important thing!!! We even have magical biological warfare, and repeated insistence that there is no other way to save the day. It’s really not sweet and nice.
This is where I think Harvest fell down: although the first two thirds of the book are great, towards the end the story was trying to hold on to the…not-quite-cosy…vibe, while raising the stakes to the stratosphere. And you just can’t have both. The result was kind of messy and felt very rushed, and I wish the stakes had been kept much lower – say, to what they originally are, before the Le Gasp!reveal about what’s going on outside the kingdom. And I was really pissed off by the final pages, which pulls the teeth of the climax in a way that I think is just cowardly. If you go ahead and actually {MASSIVE SPOILER}, one of the biggest, scariest things you can DO as a storyteller…COMMIT, don’t magic-wand fix it seconds later! That just. Retroactively ruins it, makes it all meaningless.
However, I think readers more invested in happy endings than I am won’t hate the ending like I did. So there’s that?
The older lady with the fancy clothing cupped her face in her hands and started to weep. And I do mean weep, not cry. Crying was a low-bred thing to do, but weeping was higher-pitched, and involved a lace handkerchief and small, ladylike sniffs.
Despite this being a story about magic and sorcerers and talking cats, there’s a streak of – realism? Kinda? – running through it that, like Foss’ narration, does elevate Harvest into something noteworthy, whatever I think of the last chunk of the book. Foss has to look for toilets, which most stories just ignore; there are moments when her body gives out on her in ways that fiction, especially fantasy, doesn’t like to talk about. At one point, after being kept captive, she says she can’t run any more; she’s told she has to…and instead of conveniently finding new strength, she snaps back that she CAN’T. And she can’t because, bluntly, nobody could, after what she’s just gone through. Maybe the best thing about this book is that Foss is human, with all that that means, and Eames never forgets it, refusing to gloss over the reality of that, even in a genre where doing so is the default. I really want to highlight and applaud that!
And it’s a big part of why I don’t regret reading Harvest, why I think it is a good book, even if the last act is noticeably weaker. It’s not the best thing I’ve ever read, but it was still a really good time, and Foss is worth reading for all by herself.
(I genuinely cannot overstate how much I love Foss. FOSS IS THE BEST!)
Check out some other reviews – I know my message is a bit mixed, here. But I’m glad I read it. And I will happily keep an eye out for more books from Eames in the future!
The post Wonderfully Frank: A Harvest of Hearts by Andrea Eames appeared first on Every Book a Doorway.
February 5, 2025
I Can’t Wait For…The Brass Wyvern by Bronte-Marie Wesson
Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted over at Wishful Endings to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about but haven’t yet read. Most of the time they’re books that have yet to be released, but not always. It’s based on the Waiting on Wednesday meme, which was originally hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.
This week my Can’t-Wait-For Book is The Brass Wyvern by Bronte-Marie Wesson!
The Brass Wyvern (The Blessed Imperium, #1) by Bronte-Marie Wesson Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Queer MCs, polyamory
Published on: 13th February 2025
Goodreads
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How, exactly, do you steal a dragon?
The holy city of Muqdah is falling. For days, the priests of the First Temple have argued amongst themselves — despite the cracks growing in the city’s magical shields. But fighting the Imperial army could mean the sacrifice of Muqdah’s dragons. Only one among their number believes it worth the risk … and the lone voice of a pregnant woman falls on deaf ears.
In the great Imperium, a slave named Zuri escapes into the night. Arriving on the doorstep of the Brass Wyvern, she discovers kinship, safety — and an unexpected purpose. When the bedworkers there hear of her captors’ caged dragon, a plan is hatched: free the beast, right history’s wrongs.
As Imperial magic and ancient bloodlines collide, an oppressed people start to make their voices heard. But not everyone sees eye-to-eye on justice, and a royal heist is easier said than done.
The Brass Wyvern is a witty fantasy epic with anti-colonialist vibes, queer love, feminine rage, found family, and of course — sweet, sweet revenge.
Um, what about that premise am I NOT supposed to adore?! Courtesans and dragons! A dragon HEIST! A Completedy Done pregnant MC! Anti-colonialism and REVENGE! Yesssss!
And look at that cover! Is that our pregnant MC? Possibly not, she doesn’t appear heavily pregnant, so this could perhaps be Zuri? Either way, look at her beautiful horns!!! (The throat paint/tattoo, plus the jewellery on one horn, makes me INTENSELY excited for all the worldbuilding details.) Are we dealing with fantasy species??? We must be, right? Could the horns signify a connection to the dragons somehow…?
The author has said this has ‘love networks, not a love triangle’, which makes me starry-eyed – I’ve never been interested in love triangles, but I didn’t know how much I wanted a love network until I heard the term!
The early reviews have been praising the worldbuilding, the Feels, and the ‘chaotic gays’ – which are all things that are very high on my wishlist! And though I wasn’t able to find many quotes, there are a couple of excerpts on the author’s instagram where the prose seems up to my (outrageously picky) standards!
*INTENSE GRABBY-HANDS*
The post I Can’t Wait For…The Brass Wyvern by Bronte-Marie Wesson appeared first on Every Book a Doorway.
February 3, 2025
Must-Have Monday #222
Must-Have Monday is a feature highlighting which of the coming week’s new releases I’m excited for. It is not meant to be a comprehensive list of all books being published that week; only those I’m interested in out of those I’m aware of! The focus is diverse SFF, but other genres sneak in occasionally too.
SEVEN books this week!
(Books are listed in order of pub date, then Adult SFF, Adult Other, YA SFF, YA Other, MG SFF.)
The Black Fantastic: 20 Afrofuturist Stories by André M. Carrington Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Horror, Sci Fi, Speculative Fiction
Representation: Black MCs
Published on: 4th February 2025
Goodreads
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An unprecedented collection of the best of contemporary Black speculative fiction, featuring 20 mindblowing, horror-strewn, weird, woke, award-winning tales
Black speculative fiction has never been better than it is here and now. On the shoulders of Afrofuturist masters like Octavia E. Butler and Samuel R. Delany and pioneering visionaries before them, a new, abundant, and brilliant generation of contemporary writers, some of them just beginning their careers, is conjuring up a very real renaissance.
Edited by SF-expert andré carrington, and including Hugo, Nebula, and Locus award winners alongside emerging and experimental voices, The Black Fantastic showcases the artistry of these breakout literary stars and celebrates the diversity of their talents.
Here are twenty mindblowing, horror-strewn, weird, woke, nerdy, terrifying, liberating, fantastic, utopian, surreal, genre-defying and empowering short stories, all of them worth reading and rereading now and far into futurity. Reclaiming histories of racism and oppression and seizing the day, these writers are forging kaleidoscopic new senses of Black identity, community, and imaginative freedom.
This sounds like an amazing collection! And a good chance to find more brilliant BIPOC authors to be following!
Junie by Erin Crosby Eckstine Genres: Adult, Horror
Representation: Black MC
Published on: 4th February 2025
Goodreads
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A young girl must face a life-altering decision after awakening her sister’s ghost, navigating truths about love, friendship, and power as the Civil War looms.
Sixteen years old and enslaved since she was born, Junie has spent her life on Bellereine Plantation in Alabama, cooking and cleaning alongside her family, and tending to the white master’s daughter, Violet. Her daydreams are filled with poetry and faraway worlds, while she spends her nights secretly roaming through the forest, consumed with grief over the sudden death of her older sister, Minnie.
When wealthy guests arrive from New Orleans, hinting at marriage for Violet and upending Junie’s life, she commits a desperate act—one that rouses Minnie’s spirit from the grave, tethered to this world unless Junie can free her. She enlists the aid of Caleb, the guests’ coachman, and their friendship soon becomes something more. Yet as long-held truths begin to crumble, she realizes Bellereine is harboring dark and horrifying secrets that can no longer be ignored.
With time ticking down, Junie begins to push against the harsh current that has controlled her entire life. As she grapples with an increasingly unfamiliar world in which she has little control, she is forced to ask herself: When we choose love and liberation, what must we leave behind?
I don’t generally read books featuring slavery, and I’m not sure I want to read this one – but I have been hearing amazing things about it. So maybe?
Listen to Your Sister by Neena Viel Genres: Adult, Horror
Published on: 4th February 2025
Goodreads
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For fans of Jordan Peele’s films, Stranger Things, and The Other Black Girl, Listen To Your Sister is a laugh-out-loud, deeply terrifying, and big-hearted speculative horror novel from electrifying debut talent Neena Viel.
Twenty-five year old Calla Williams is struggling since becoming guardian to her brother, Jamie. Calla is overwhelmed and tired of being the one who makes sacrifices to keep the family together. Jamie, full of good-natured sixteen-year-old recklessness, is usually off fighting for what matters to him or getting into mischief, often at the same time. Dre, their brother, promised he would help raise Jamie–but now the ink is dry on the paperwork and in classic middle-child fashion, he’s off doing his own thing. And through it all, The Nightmare never stops haunting Calla: recurring images of her brothers dying that she is powerless to stop.
When Jamie’s actions at a protest spiral out of control, the siblings must go on the run. Taking refuge in a remote cabin that looks like it belongs on a slasher movie poster rather than an AirBNB, the siblings now face a new threat where their lives–and reality–hang in the balance. Their sister always warned them about her nightmares. They really should have listened.
Another Horror that’s been getting lots of praise! I don’t have any idea what form the Horror elements are going to take, though…
Mutual Interest by Olivia Wolfgang-Smith Genres: Queer Protagonists
Representation: Lesbian MC, gay MCs
Published on: 4th February 2025
Goodreads
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A classic in the making: a mesmerizing novel about marriage and ambition, sexuality and secrecy, and the true costs of building an empire.
At the turn of the 20th century, Vivian Lesperance is determined to flee her origins in Utica, New York, and avoid repeating her parents' dull, limited life. When she meets Oscar Schmidt, a middle manager at a soap company, Vivian finds a partner she can guide to build the life she wants-not least because, more interested in men himself, Oscar will leave Vivian to tend to her own romances with women.
But Vivian's plans require capital, so the two pair up with Squire Clancey, scion of an old American fortune. Together they found Clancey & Schmidt, a preeminent manufacturer of soap, perfume, and candles. When Oscar and Squire fall in love, the trio form a new kind of partnership.
Vivian reaches the pinnacle of her power building Clancey & Schmidt into an empire of personal care products while operating behind the image of both men. But exposure threatens, and all three partners are made aware of how much they have to lose.
For readers of Hernan Diaz's Trust and Colm Tóibín's The Magician, with echoes of Gustave Flaubert and E.M. Forster, Mutual Interest is a beguiling story of queer romance, empire, and power.
Occasionally I read something that’s not SFF, and Mutual Interests sounds like something that could turn my brain off for a while (complimentary).
A Burning in the Bones (Waxways, #3) by Scott Reintgen Genres: Fantasy, Secondary World Fantasy, YA
Published on: 4th February 2025
Goodreads
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Ren’s quest to dismantle Kathor’s corrupt system comes to a head as political machinations and a mysterious disease take hold of the city in this edge-of-your-seat conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Waxways series.
After taking control of House Brood, Ren and Theo dreamed of using their newfound influence to change the rest of Kathor, but now they find their efforts being countered by the other great houses, who have no interest in a world where they enjoy less power.
No one understands that better than the Tin’Vori siblings. The return of their ancestral home was a decade in the making, but they’re eager to keep rising from the ashes. Nevelyn begins researching House Brood—and ends up face-to-face with an enemy that’s already slouching toward the gates of the city. The one enemy no one can avoid: a plague.
The victims experience strange bruising, an unquenchable thirst, and a temporary disruption in magic. When doctors trace the illness to its source, they find another mystery: corpses placed in strategic locations around the city. As Ren leads the hunt for the culprits, she’ll find herself two steps behind a devious enemy whose sights are set on an unexpected prize: the city’s magic.
Survival will require every ounce of their skill, every bond old and new, or else the future Ren and Theo have worked to build will burn down with the rest of the world.
WAXWAYS FINALE WAXWAYS FINALE AHHHHHHHHH!
Bird of a Thousand Stories (Once There Was #2) by Kiyash Monsef Genres: Fantasy, Contemporary or Urban Fantasy, MG
Representation: Iranian-American MC
Published on: 4th February 2025
Goodreads
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In this transporting and suspenseful companion to the New York Times bestselling Once There Was, Marjan travels around the globe in search of a mythical bird in terrible danger, whose fate could determine the future of the world.
Marjan Dastani is successfully leading a double life. Only a few people know that when she’s not in school, she travels the world taking care of mythical beasts, sent on missions by a shadowy organization known as The Fells.
In an adventure that takes her across continents and connects her with the wildest of mythic beasts around the globe, Marjan must track down the fabled Bird of a Thousand Stories before someone with more nefarious plans finds it. But the more closely she connects with the world’s mythical creatures, the more danger she’s in of losing her friendships—and all that tethers her to the life she’s known.
A sequel to Once There Was! I’m constantly coveting stories about magical-creature vets, and this series could have been written for me!
A World Worth Saving by Kyle Lukoff Genres: Fantasy, Contemporary or Urban Fantasy, MG, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Trans Jewish MC
Published on: 4th February 2025
Goodreads
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A groundbreaking, action-packed, and ultimately uplifting adventure that intertwines elements of Jewish mythology with an unflinching examination of the impacts of transphobia, from Newbery Honor-winner Kyle Lukoff
“Kyle Lukoff has given us something rare and beautiful — a novel that combines wondrous fantasy, searing real-world relevance, and a frank empathetic understanding of the adolescent experience that hits so viscerally I can only compare it to the way my generation experienced Judy Blume. The way Lukoff combines these elements in a page-turning adventure is nothing short of magic!” –Rick Riordan, author of Percy Jackson and the Olympians
Covid lockdown is over, but A’s world feels smaller than ever. Coming out as trans didn’t exactly go well, and most days, he barely leaves his bedroom, let alone the house. But the low point of A’s life isn’t online school, missing his bar mitzvah, or the fact that his parents monitor his phone like hawks—it’s the weekly Save Our Sons and Daughters meetings his parents all but drag him to.
At SOSAD, A and his friends Sal and Yarrow sit by while their parents deadname them and wring their hands over a nonexistent “transgender craze.” After all, sitting in suffocating silence has to be better than getting sent away for “advanced treatment,” never to be heard from again.
When Yarrow vanishes after a particularly confrontational meeting, A discovers that SOSAD doesn’t just feel soul-sucking . . . it’s run by an actual demon who feeds off the pain and misery of kids like him. And it’s not just SOSAD—the entire world is beset by demons dining on what seems like an endless buffet of pain and bigotry.
But how is one trans kid who hasn’t even chosen a name supposed to save his friend, let alone the world? And is a world that seems hellbent on rejecting him even worth saving at all?
Not timely at all, or anything! Meep. Really looking forward to checking this are out; I’ve been hearing great things about this one too.
Will you be reading any of these? Did I miss any releases you think I should know about? Let me know!
The post Must-Have Monday #222 appeared first on Every Book a Doorway.
