Siavahda's Blog, page 61
July 13, 2022
I Can’t Wait For…The Daughters of Izdihar by Hadeer Elsbai
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 is The Daughters of Izdihar by Hadeer Elsbai!
The Daughters of Izdihar by Hadeer Elsbai Genres: Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Egyptian-coded cast and setting, F/F
Published on: 10th January 2023
Goodreads
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From debut author Hadeer Elsbai comes the first book in an incredibly powerful new duology, set wholly in a new world, but inspired by modern Egyptian history, about two young women--Nehal, a spoiled aristocrat used to getting what she wants and Giorgina, a poor bookshop worker used to having nothing--who find they have far more in common, particularly in their struggle for the rights of women and their ability to fight for it with forbidden elemental magic
As a waterweaver, Nehal can move and shape any water to her will, but she's limited by her lack of formal education. She desires nothing more than to attend the newly opened Weaving Academy, take complete control of her powers, and pursue a glorious future on the battlefield with the first all-female military regiment. But her family cannot afford to let her go--crushed under her father's gambling debt, Nehal is forcibly married into a wealthy merchant family. Her new spouse, Nico, is indifferent and distant and in love with another woman, a bookseller named Giorgina.
Giorgina has her own secret, however: she is an earthweaver with dangerously uncontrollable powers. She has no money and no prospects. Her only solace comes from her activities with the Daughters of Izdihar, a radical women's rights group at the forefront of a movement with a simple goal: to attain recognition for women to have a say in their own lives. They live very different lives and come from very different means, yet Nehal and Giorgina have more in common than they think. The cause--and Nico--brings them into each other's orbit, drawn in by the group's enigmatic leader, Malak Mamdouh, and the urge to do what is right.
But their problems may seem small in the broader context of their world, as tensions are rising with a neighboring nation that desires an end to weaving and weavers. As Nehal and Giorgina fight for their rights, the threat of war looms in the background, and the two women find themselves struggling to earn--and keep--a lasting freedom.
The cover and full description were revealed on Fantasy Hive today, and I am BEYOND in love with both!!! I’ve been excited for Daughters since the publishing deal was announced, but it looks and sounds even more amazing than I could have hoped for. EEE!
I mean, a setting inspired by modern Egypt? That would be enough to get my attention all by itself, but then all the rest of it! I MEAN??? An all-female military regiment of magic-users?! Radical women’s rights groups?! A bookshop worker with earthbending powers?!
YES YES YES ALL THE YES FOREVER!!!
And then, as if all of that wasn’t enough (which it would be!) it’s also queer.
PRETTY SURE THEY CAN HEAR MY SHRIEKS OF DELIGHT FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION!
You better believe I slammed that preorder button. If you haven’t yet, what on Earth are you waiting for?!
The post I Can’t Wait For…The Daughters of Izdihar by Hadeer Elsbai appeared first on Every Book a Doorway.
July 12, 2022
10 2022 Books I’m Grabby-Hands For
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish and is now hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl. Check out upcoming Top Ten themes on Jana’s blog!
This week’s prompt is Most Anticipated Books Releasing In the Second Half of 2022, and to see every book I’m impatiently waiting for this year, you can check out my list of Unmissable Fantasy and SciFi of 2022. But for this post, I limited myself to books I don’t have ARCs of (yet. I live in hope!)
In chronological order then, here we go!
Unraveller by Frances Hardinge Genres: Fantasy
Published on: 2nd September 2022
Goodreads
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A dark YA fantasy about learning to use your power and finding peace, from award-winning author Frances Hardinge
In a world where anyone can create a life-destroying curse, only one person has the power to unravel them.
Kellen does not fully understand his talent, but helps those transformed maliciously—including Nettle. Recovered from entrapment in bird form, she is now his constant companion and closest ally.
But Kellen has also been cursed, and unless he and Nettle can remove his curse, Kellen is in danger of unravelling everything—and everyone—around him . . .
I’ve loved Hardinge’s writing since Fly By Night, and haven’t missed a book of hers since. Do we have a ton of info about Unraveler? Not really, but this is very much one of those times when all I need to her is who wrote it!
Nona the Ninth (The Locked Tomb, #3) by Tamsyn Muir Genres: Science Fantasy
Published on: 13th September 2022
Goodreads
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Her city is under siege.
The zombies are coming back.
And all Nona wants is a birthday party.
In many ways, Nona is like other people. She lives with her family, has a job at her local school, and loves walks on the beach and meeting new dogs. But Nona's not like other people. Six months ago she woke up in a stranger's body, and she's afraid she might have to give it back.
The whole city is falling to pieces. A monstrous blue sphere hangs on the horizon, ready to tear the planet apart. Blood of Eden forces have surrounded the last Cohort facility and wait for the Emperor Undying to come calling. Their leaders want Nona to be the weapon that will save them from the Nine Houses. Nona would prefer to live an ordinary life with the people she loves, with Pyrrha and Camilla and Palamedes, but she also knows that nothing lasts forever.
And each night, Nona dreams of a woman with a skull-painted face...
Surprising absolutely no one is the third book in the Locked Tomb series. Is there anyone on the planet who isn’t excited for Nona??? I think not!
(And you can now download a sampler of the book, to tide you over! Personally, I’ll be rereading Gideon and Harrow…)
No Gods for Drowning by Hailey Piper Genres: Fantasy, Horror, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Sapphic MC, F/F
Published on: 20th September 2022
Goodreads
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IN THE BEGINNING, MAN WAS PREY.
WITHOUT THE GODS, THEY'LL BE PREY AGAIN.
The old gods have fled, and the monsters they had kept at bay for centuries now threaten to drown the city of Valentine, hunting mankind as in ancient times. In the midst of the chaos, a serial killer has begun ritually sacrificing victims, their bodies strewn throughout the city.
Lilac Antonis wants to stop the impending destruction of her city by summoning her mother, a blood god—even if she has to slit a few throats to do it. But evading her lover Arcadia and her friends means sneaking, lying, and even spilling the blood of people she loves.
Alex and Cecil of Ace Investigations have been tasked with hunting down the killer, but as they close in—not knowing they're hunting their close friend Lilac—the detectives realize the gods may not have left willingly.
As flooding drags this city of cars and neon screaming into the jaws of sea demons and Arcadia struggles to save the people as captain of the evacuation team, Lilac’s ritual killings at last bear fruit, only to reveal her as a small piece in a larger plan. The gods’ protection costs far more than anyone has ever known, and Alex and Cecil are running out of time to discover the true culprit behind the gods’ disappearance before an ancient divine murder plot destroys them all.
Set in an alternate reality which updates mythology to near-modern day, NO GODS FOR DROWNING is part hunt for a serial killer, part noir detective story, and unlike anything you’ve ever read before.
There is nothing I do not adore about this premise, and I am already well aware that Piper is a fantastic writer. GIMME!
My Name Is Magic by Xan van Rooyen Genres: Fantasy, Contemporary or Urban Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Nonbinary MC
Published on: 27th September 2022
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Taika Turunen has no magic.
Despite coming from a long line of powerful Finnish mages, and their name literally meaning magic, Taika can’t perform the simplest of spells.
Forced to attend Myrskyjärvi International School for the Magically Gifted on account of their mom being principal, Taika has a hard time fitting in. Sometimes, they wonder if not having magic has something to do with the fact they’re neither a girl nor a boy and if they’re fated to be Taika the Talentless forever.
Life goes from bad to worse when Taika sees a liekkiö and recognizes the spirit's voice begging for help as that of their former BFF and major crush, Natalie Khumalo, whose recent absence from class hadn’t gone unnoticed. When more students go missing, Taika must take the lead in a race against time to save friends old and new before a powerful group of chaos mages can unleash the legendary Sampo, an artifact capable of either renewing the world’s waning magic or destroying everything Taika holds dear.
To rescue Natalie, Taika will have to journey to the liminal space between worlds where they’ll be forced to battle mythical monsters and their own flagging self-esteem. In doing so, Taika might just discover that magic—and love—comes in many different forms.
For fans of witchcraft and wizardry looking for a new, inclusive story, My Name Is Magic, is a story about finding strength from within and potential where you least expected it.
You had me at ‘Finnish magic school’ and won my heart forever by giving us a nonbinary MC. ALL THE YES!
The Golden Enclaves (The Scholomance #3) by Naomi Novik Genres: Fantasy, Contemporary or Urban Fantasy
Representation: Biracial Desi MC
Published on: 27th September 2022
Goodreads
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Saving the world is a test no school of magic can prepare you for in the triumphant conclusion to the New York Times bestselling trilogy that began with A Deadly Education and The Last Graduate.
Almost singlehandedly--although backed by an increasingly large cadre of genuine friends--El has changed the nature of the Scholomance forever. But now that she is back in the real world, how will the lessons she learned inside the school apply? Will her grandmother's prophecy come true? Will she really spell the doom of all the enclaves forever?
As the quest to save her one true love ramps up, however, El is about to learn the most significant lesson of all--the dire truth on which the enclaves and the whole stability of the magical world are founded. And being El, she is not likely to let it lie....
I’m very alarmed that this seems to be a short book – about 270 pages, according to Goodreads. How can Novik wrap everything up in less than 300 pages?! I am extremely anxious…and also very excited by this hint of how/why El will end up destroying the world…
The Nightland Express by J.M. Lee Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Trans MC
Published on: 11th October 2022
Goodreads
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In antebellum America, two teens bury their secrets and join the historic Pony Express, and soon discover the mortal world is not the only one on the brink of war.
Young, poor, and orphaned in rural Missouri, Jessamine Murphy frets over her very pregnant sister, not at all sure how to feed their family until the baby is born, let alone after. When Jessamine comes across a recruitment poster reading "Pony Express Special Assignment: St. Joseph, Missouri to California. Two riders wanted. Orphans preferred," her tomboy heart skips a beat: not only for the ample risk wage, but for the adventure and the chance to track down their wayward father in California. Jessamine cuts her hair, dons a pair of pants, and steps into the world as Jesse.
At the Pony Express station, Jesse meets Ben Foley, a quiet but determined boy, so secretive about his origin story there is little doubt it must be turbulent, and they become partners. They are an odd pair—one excitedly navigating the world as a boy for the first time, the other a mixed-race young man trying to defend his freedom—yet their esteem for each other grows as they head west across the United States.
As they encounter mysterious portals that carry them miles in an eyeblink and unusual creatures with uncanny glowing eyes, it becomes clear that this is no normal mission. A second, magical realm exists just below the surface of the mortal one, intertwined since the beginning of time—but the divisive violence of colonization and war are tearing the two worlds apart.
As Ben and Jesse struggle to find themselves, they discover their unlikely alliance may be the only thing that will save them . . . and the creatures and environment of two struggling worlds.
I remember when Erewhon Press announced that they were forming – the announcement came with the for publishing deals they’d already secured. One was for The Nightland Express. That is how long I’ve been waiting for this book, and I can’t believe it’s finally almost here!
When the Angels Left the Old Country by Sacha Lamb Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Nonbinary MC, disabled MC, sapphic MC
Published on: 18th October 2022
Goodreads
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In publishing-speak, here's what we at the LQ office sometimes describe as the Queer lovechild of Sholem Aleichem and Philip Roth:
Uriel the angel and Little Ash (short for Ashmedai) are the only two supernatural creatures in their shtetl (which is so tiny, it doesn't have a name other than Shtetl). The angel and the demon have been studying together for centuries, but pogroms and the search for a new life have drawn all the young people from their village to America. When one of those young emigrants goes missing, Uriel and Little Ash set off to find her.
Along the way the angel and demon encounter humans in need of their help, including Rose Cohen, whose best friend (and the love of her life) has abandoned her to marry a man, and Malke Shulman, whose father died mysteriously on his way to America.
But there are obstacles ahead of them as difficult as what they've left behind. Medical exams (and demons) at Ellis Island. Corrupt officials, cruel mob bosses, murderers, poverty. The streets are far from paved with gold.
With cinematic sweep and tender observation, Sacha Lamb presents a totally original drama about individual purpose, the fluid nature of identity, and the power of love to change and endure.
I will always show up for old-school angels and demons, and anchoring this in Jewish folklore and tradition just makes it even more exciting! There’s nothing about this book that doesn’t make me go heart-eyes!
Into the Riverlands (The Singing Hills Cycle, #3) by Nghi Vo Genres: Fantasy
Representation: Nonbinary MC
Published on: 25th October 2022
Goodreads
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Nghi Vo's Locus and Igynte Award Finalist, and Crawford and Hugo Award-Winning Series, The Singing Hills Cycle, continues...
"A remarkable accomplishment of storytelling."—NPR on The Empress of Salt and Fortune
Wandering cleric Chih of the Singing Hills travels to the riverlands to record tales of the notorious near-immortal martial artists who haunt the region. On the road to Betony Docks, they fall in with a pair of young women far from home, and an older couple who are more than they seem. As Chih runs headlong into an ancient feud, they find themselves far more entangled in the history of the riverlands than they ever expected to be.
Accompanied by Almost Brilliant, a talking bird with an indelible memory, Chih confronts old legends and new dangers alike as they learn that every story—beautiful, ugly, kind, or cruel—bears more than one face.
It’s Nghi Vo.
Enough said.
The Scratch Daughters (Scapegracers, #2) by H. A. Clarke Genres: Fantasy, Contemporary or Urban Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Sapphic MC, queer cast
Published on: 25th October 2022
Goodreads
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It's been a wild year for Sideways Pike. After forming a coven with the three most popular girls in school and developing a huge crush on a mysterious stranger named Madeline, Sideways' Halloween was ruined by finding out that Madeline wasn't trying to make out with her, but to steal Sideways' specter, the force that gives witches the ability to cast magic spells. From Madeline's perspective, it's not her fault: after a doomed relationship with one of the creepy near-identical Chantry Boys turned into a witch hunt, they took her specter, so, really, she's only borrowing Sideways' until she can recover her own and punish the Chantrys.
The specter-less Sideways is in a horrid, distracted mood, unable to do magic and with part of her consciousness tied to Madeline's, on the lam as she uses Sideways' specter to hunt Chantrys. The other Scapegracers are much jollier, heading into the winter holidays having set up shop as curse crafters for girls in their school who've been done wrong by guys. When Sideways—through Madeline—gets a flash of how to track down both her foes at once, she asks the Scapegracers to help entrap them, only to be told her plan is unsafe and unwise. So if she's going to find Madeline, her only ally is Mr. Scratch, the inky book demon currently inhabiting her as life support until she gets her spectre back.
Sideways is used to being an outcast loner, and is desperate to do magic again, so she's not going to let little barriers like facing an betraying crush and a family of six demented witch hunters practically alone stop her. But she and her trusty stolen bike are in for a bumpy ride...
Scapegracers became an instant favourite when it was released in 2020, and I’ve been waiting for Scratch Daughters ever since! Clarke’s prose is fucking gorgeous and they write magic as if they’ve experienced it for themself, and I cannot freaking WAIT to read more of their stuff!
The World We Make (Great Cities #2) by N.K. Jemisin Genres: Fantasy, Contemporary or Urban Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: QBIPOC cast
Published on: 3rd November 2022
Goodreads
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Three-time Hugo Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author N.K. Jemisin crafts "a glorious fantasy" (Neil Gaiman) -- a story of culture, identity, magic, and myths in contemporary New York City, in the final book of the Great Cities Duology.
Every great city has a soul. A human avatar that embodies their city's heart and wields its magic. New York? She's got six.
But all is not well in the city that never sleeps. Though Brooklyn, Manny, Bronca, Venezia, Padmini, and Neek have temporarily managed to stop the Woman in White from invading--and destroying the entire universe in the process--the mysterious capital "E" Enemy has more subtle powers at her disposal. A new candidate for mayor wielding the populist rhetoric of gentrification, xenophobia, and "law and order" may have what it takes to change the very nature of New York itself and take it down from the inside. In order to defeat him, and the Enemy who holds his purse strings, the avatars will have to join together with the other Great Cities of the world in order to bring her down for good and protect their world from complete destruction.
Come on – obviously Jemisin’s next book was gonna make the cut. How could it not??? I loved the first book in the series and I’m eager to see more of the other Great Cities!
What books are you looking forward to for the rest of the year?
The post 10 2022 Books I’m Grabby-Hands For appeared first on Every Book a Doorway.
July 11, 2022
Must-Have Monday #93
It’s a Fabulous Five new releases this week!
Touchstones: A Collection by Stephanie Burgis Genres: Fantasy
Representation: Some queer MCs
Published on: 11th July 2022
Goodreads
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The glass molded to my foot as neatly—and as chillingly—as if it had been made for me.
“This,” I said, “is a most unfortunate coincidence…”
From tongue-in-cheek fairy tale reframings to forbidden Victorian-era romance and contemporary ghosts, dive into an immersive world of magic. Touchstones is a collection of sparkling short fantasy fiction from Stephanie Burgis, including two new stories as well as fourteen short stories and novelettes that have been previously published in magazines and anthologies.
This collection includes The Wrong Foot, Undead Philosophy 101, A Cup of Comfort, Dreaming Harry, Offerings, Dancing in the Dark, The Disastrous Début of Agatha Tremain, The Wildness Inside, The Art of Deception, Midnight, Clasp Hands, Crow, True Names, Good Neighbors, Love, Your Flatmate, and House of Secrets.
This one’s out TODAY! I got to read an early copy and it’s such a sweet, cosy collection – really gentle, if that makes sense? Pretty perfect if you’re looking for escape from *waves vaguely at everything*
You can read my mini-review here!
August Kitko and the Mechas from Space by Alex White Genres: Queer Protagonists, Sci Fi
Representation: Queer MC, nonbinary MC, M/NB
Published on: 12th July 2022
Goodreads
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When an army of giant robot AIs threatens to devastate Earth, a virtuoso pianist becomes humanity's last hope in this bold, lightning-paced, technicolor new space opera series from the author of A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe.
Jazz pianist Gus Kitko expected to spend his final moments on Earth playing piano at the greatest goodbye party of all time, and maybe kissing rockstar Ardent Violet, before the last of humanity is wiped out forever by the Vanguards--ultra-powerful robots from the dark heart of space, hell-bent on destroying humanity for reasons none can divine.
But when the Vanguards arrive, the unthinkable happens--the mecha that should be killing Gus instead saves him. Suddenly, Gus's swan song becomes humanity's encore, as he is chosen to join a small group of traitorous Vanguards and their pilots dedicated to saving humanity.
Another one I got to read early, this is guaranteed awesomeness for any fans of giant battle-robots – but also has a lot to offer readers who’ve never been interested in mechas before.
You can read my review here!
A Prayer for the Crown-Shy (Monk & Robot, #2) by Becky Chambers Genres: Queer Protagonists, Sci Fi
Representation: Nonbinary MC, queernorm world
Published on: 12th July 2022
Goodreads
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After touring the rural areas of Panga, Sibling Dex (a Tea Monk of some renown) and Mosscap (a robot sent on a quest to determine what humanity really needs) turn their attention to the villages and cities of the little moon they call home.
They hope to find the answers they seek, while making new friends, learning new concepts, and experiencing the entropic nature of the universe.
Becky Chambers's new series continues to ask: in a world where people have what they want, does having more even matter?
I guess this is a week for gentle books – at least, I’m expecting Prayer to be pretty gentle; it’s kind of Chambers’ trademark at this point!
The Last Blade Priest by W.P. Wiles Genres: Fantasy
Published on: 12th July 2022
Goodreads
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An absorbing and original epic fantasy with rich world-building and a wry take on genre conventions from a Betty Trask Award-winning author
--
Inar is Master Builder for the Kingdom of Mishig-Tenh. Life is hard after the Kingdom lost the war against the League of Free Cities. Doubly so since his father betrayed the King and paid the ultimate price. And now the King's terrifying chancellor and torturer in chief has arrived and instructed Inar to go and work for the League. And to spy for him. And any builder knows you don't put yourself between a rock and a hard place.
Far away Anton, Blade Priest for Craithe, the God Mountain, is about to be caught up in a vicious internal war that will tear his religion apart. Chosen from infancy to conduct human sacrifice, he is secretly relieved that the practice has been abruptly stopped. But an ancient enemy has returned, an occult conspiracy is unfolding, and he will struggle to keep his hands clean in a world engulfed by bloodshed.
In a series of constantly surprising twists and turns that take the reader through a vividly imagined and original world full of familiar tensions and surprising perspectives on old tropes, Inar and Anton find that others in their story may have more influence on their lives, on the future of the League and on their whole world than they, or the reader imagined.
File Under: Fantasy [ Nightmare Crows Scarred Altars Broken Stone Unlikely Elves ]
This popped up on my radar a while back, and I’ve been keeping an eye out for it ever since. The premise sounds intriguing – ‘rich world-building’ is my catnip! – and I really liked the excerpt posted with the cover reveal. So I’m pretty excited for this one!
Kid Wolf and Kraken Boy by Sam J. Miller Genres: Fantasy, Contemporary or Urban Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: M/M
Published on: 13th July 2022
Goodreads
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“Kid” Wolffe is an up-and-coming boxer in 1920s New York. An honest fighter’s got little chance at success on the mob-controlled circuit—until ambitious lieutenant “Hinky” Friedman starts making moves to take over her boss’s business, and sees a use for the kid.
Teitelstam is a struggling tattoo artist, whose natural talent for ink magic won’t amount to much without formal training. So he’s got no idea why Hinky would offer him ten times what he’s worth to come work for her.
But Hinky has a vision for a better world, and her high-stakes plan to make it reality requires both Wolffe’s fists and Teitelstam’s magic. What neither Wolffe nor Teitelstam expects is to fall in love; and in this world, love might be more dangerous than deadly magic or an underworld turf war…
Listen: it’s Sam Miller. I’ll read anything he writes! It’s that simple, honestly.
Will you be reading any of these? Let me know!
The post Must-Have Monday #93 appeared first on Every Book a Doorway.
July 10, 2022
Hopeful and Hope-Full: Touchstones by Stephanie Burgis
Touchstones: A Collection by Stephanie Burgis Published on: 11th July 2022
ISBN: B0B4SQ992Z
Goodreads
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The glass molded to my foot as neatly—and as chillingly—as if it had been made for me.
“This,” I said, “is a most unfortunate coincidence…”
From tongue-in-cheek fairy tale reframings to forbidden Victorian-era romance and contemporary ghosts, dive into an immersive world of magic. Touchstones is a collection of sparkling short fantasy fiction from Stephanie Burgis, including two new stories as well as fourteen short stories and novelettes that have been previously published in magazines and anthologies.
This collection includes The Wrong Foot, Undead Philosophy 101, A Cup of Comfort, Dreaming Harry, Offerings, Dancing in the Dark, The Disastrous Début of Agatha Tremain, The Wildness Inside, The Art of Deception, Midnight, Clasp Hands, Crow, True Names, Good Neighbors, Love, Your Flatmate, and House of Secrets.
I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Touchstones is a collection of short stories that are connected by their insistence on happy endings, and a thread of (sometimes very unexpected) kindness that’s woven throughout. They’re also not nearly as simple as they look at first glance; for example, The Crow, which is one of the shortest stories in the collection and one of my favourites, is about finding your voice and learning to set healthy boundaries…even if it looks like a story about getting a real live crow stuck in your throat.
Most if not all of the stories have some gentle message in them – independence and freedom are both big, beautiful themes – but none of them are preachy. This isn’t Aesop’s Fables, where the stories are thin disguises for various life-lessons; Burgis’ stories are intended to entertain and delight, to offer distraction and escape from a Real World that, let’s be honest, we all need occasional breaks from.
And they do that beautifully! After the first few, I started saving Touchstones to read just before bed, allowing myself just a story or two to calm my mind down and make me smile before curling up to sleep. I’m not saying I didn’t have my heart in my throat a few times – sometimes the various characters find themselves in pretty horrible straits before they get their happy ending – but Touchstones is a wonderful collection to unwind with; charming, sweet, and eternally hopeful (and hope-full, at that).
This is a joy of a book, and I strongly recommend it to anyone looking for a softly magical pick-me-up.
The post Hopeful and Hope-Full: Touchstones by Stephanie Burgis appeared first on Every Book a Doorway.
July 7, 2022
Giant Robots and Queer Music: August Kitko and the Mechas From Space by Alex White
August Kitko and the Mechas from Space by Alex White Genres: Queer Protagonists, Sci Fi
Representation: Queer MC, nonbinary MC, M/NB
Published on: 12th July 2022
ISBN: B096RSM5DB
Goodreads
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When an army of giant robot AIs threatens to devastate Earth, a virtuoso pianist becomes humanity's last hope in this bold, lightning-paced, technicolor new space opera series from the author of A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe.
Jazz pianist Gus Kitko expected to spend his final moments on Earth playing piano at the greatest goodbye party of all time, and maybe kissing rockstar Ardent Violet, before the last of humanity is wiped out forever by the Vanguards--ultra-powerful robots from the dark heart of space, hell-bent on destroying humanity for reasons none can divine.
But when the Vanguards arrive, the unthinkable happens--the mecha that should be killing Gus instead saves him. Suddenly, Gus's swan song becomes humanity's encore, as he is chosen to join a small group of traitorous Vanguards and their pilots dedicated to saving humanity.
~the BEST Big Bad
~simultaneously the scariest and cutest ghosts
~everything is queer
~jazz saves the day
~(sorta)
I’m not completely sure what I think of this book – but I do know I’ll definitely be picking up the sequel!
Centuries into the future, Earth is braced for annihilation as the giant robots that have destroyed every other human settlement in the galaxy close in. August Kitko, aka Gus, a jazz musician, has managed to hook up with one of the biggest popstars in human space and is attending the biggest possible end-of-the-world party when the robots arrive.
Things do not go as expected.
It turns out that the Vanguards (don’t call them robots) are not united on the whole destroying-humanity thing. A few of them are fighting to defend humans from the rest. But each Traitor Vanguard, as they’re known, needs a human to help them beat the other machines. Only a human can access the Fount, the store of memories harvested from all the humans the Vanguards have killed; only by utilising the experience of millions of human fighters can the Traitor Vanguards defeat the other Vanguards.
The Traitor Vanguard nicknamed Greymalkin pairs up with Gus, and the fight is on.
Where White shines, as usual, is with the characters and the worldbuilding. Mechas alternates between the POVs of Gus and Ardent, the latter being the aforementioned galactic popstar who hooks up with Gus just before doomsday and won’t let him go off to fight alone. Gus has a kind of everyman vibe about him, which makes him hella relatable, whereas Ardent is a nonbinary glitz-and-glam fashionista who’s flamboyant as fuck and hides panic attacks behind their deadly fierceness. Ardent is objectively more interesting, but you can’t help falling for Gus’ deep earnestness. They’re both pretty damn inspiring.
The romance between them… It all seemed to get very intense very fast, but that is what happens in intense, life-threatening scenarios – history and science have both proved that over and over. That being said, I have to admit that some of the kissing/sex made me cringe: I thought we were collectively past ‘their tongues danced’. Or maybe it’s supposed to be silly? I’m not good at picking up on jokes like that, so, perhaps. Regardless, I loved both these characters, even if I wasn’t completely sold on their love story.
But the worldbuilding! I loved what we got to see of far-future Earth, where humans seen to have gotten their act together, finally. I loved the tech and the queernorm default; I loved words like ‘joyfriend’ for a nonbinary datemate and the use of ‘folx’; I loved all of Ardent’s incredible clothes! And I was utterly delighted by the reveal of the Big Bad and the motivation/purpose of the Vanguards; I can’t talk about it, because spoilers, but White has managed to completely justify this very cinematic way of taking out humanity. It’s not handwaved or left to our suspension of disbelief; there’s very, very good reasoning behind it all, and that makes me so happy! And it’s SO COOL AND CLEVER, YOU GUYS!
I LOVE IT. SO MUCH.
I did not love the fight scenes; I found them very clunky and dull. But most of the book is not fight scenes, and on the flip side, I was surprised to find myself loving the Traitor Vanguards – especially Greymalkin – as characters in and of themselves as the book went on. I loved how they interacted with each other separate from their human partners: I loved seeing them protective of their injured. The final scene in the book, in which the Traitor Vanguards are the stars, just sealed the deal for me. I would have read the next book anyway, because I’m a huge Alex White fan, but now I need the next book!
omfg!
I said I wasn’t sure how I felt about this book, and I think that’s because The Mechas From Space is not one clear and simple thing. I might even go so far as to say it’s pretty messy, as though White wasn’t quite sure what the tone of this story was supposed to be: it’s both light-hearted and deeply dark, full of grief and fear and despair that doesn’t quite mesh with the rocking out and joking around. At the same time, it seems believable to me that people make ridiculous jokes or focus on tiny, unimportant-in-the-scheme-of-things stuff when they’re in the trenches. How else do you deal with being in the trenches? So although it reads as messy, it does also seem legit and fair to be this contradictory, this dual-natured.
But being able to explain it and justify it doesn’t mean it’s perfectly effective. Mechas works quite hard to be upbeat, to be hopepunk rather than grimdark, and it’s clear from other early reviews that most readers were able to embrace the vibrant parts and have fun with this book. I was actually pretty surprised when I skimmed through other reviews to see all the people talking about Mechas like it’s a very light-hearted story, because I didn’t get that at all. I was never able to forget how awful and tragic and terrifying the characters’ situation was, and I don’t think that’s just me being a downer; I think White took care to remind the reader constantly that, giant battle-robots aside, this isn’t a game, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. So I can’t quite bring myself to call Mechas fun, or describe it as escapist.
But I seem to be the only one. So. Your mileage will vary.
What Mechas definitely is, is fundamentally a book about not giving into despair, and working together against overwhelming odds; about doing the right thing even if it’s going to hurt, or even if it kills you – about doing the right thing even if your death won’t accomplish anything. And there is something massively beautiful and spine-shivering about that.
August Kitko and the Mechas From Space is out next week, and I do think you ought to read it.
The post Giant Robots and Queer Music: August Kitko and the Mechas From Space by Alex White appeared first on Every Book a Doorway.
July 6, 2022
I Can’t Wait For…Second Spear by Kerstin Hall
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 is Second Spear by Kerstin Hall!
Second Spear (Border Keeper, #2) by Kerstin Hall Genres: Fantasy
Published on: 16th August 2022
Goodreads
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The thrilling follow-up to Nommo Award finalist The Border Keeper
After surviving the schemes of the goddess Fanieq and learning some shattering truths about her former life, the warrior Tyn feels estranged from her role guarding her ruler. Grappling with knowledge of her identity, she unleashes her frustrations on all the wrong people.
When an old enemy returns wielding an unstoppable, realm-crushing weapon, Tyn is swept up in the path of destruction.
If you haven’t read the incredibly strange (and just plain incredible!) Border Keeper by Kerstin Hall, well, you have time to do just that before we get the sequel in August!
I’m so excited to return to the fascinating, intricate world (worlds?) Hall created in Border Keeper – I love it when Fantasy pulls no punches and goes full-on weird and wonderful, magical and alien and intoxicating, and that’s exactly what Border was. But Border followed a character who was an outsider to it all, whereas Second Spear is Tyn’s story – a native of the realms. I can’t wait to see what Tyn’s world looks like to her!
And Tyn herself is a really interesting character – I won’t say why, in case you haven’t read Border get, but suffice to say I definitely want to know more about her, and the process by which she got where she is…
I’ve had his preordered for ages – and so should you!
The post I Can’t Wait For…Second Spear by Kerstin Hall appeared first on Every Book a Doorway.
July 4, 2022
Must-Have Monday #92
Just four books to get us started this month – featuring queer Als, functioning utopias and charmed cupcakes!
Shall Machines Bite the Sun (Machine Mandate Book 6) by Benjanun Sriduangkaew Genres: Queer Protagonists, Sci Fi
Representation: F/F, queernorm world
Published on: 4th July 2022
Goodreads
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Thannarat Vutirangsee has won it all: she’s saved her world, married her perfect bride, and found her peace. She is meant to live the rest of her days in a fairytale.
But the machines are not done with her yet. Her wife Daji has breached the treaty between humans and machines, and for that she will be subjected to a punishment worse than execution.
Thannarat is not a hero. She is an artifact of war, a force of devastating annihilation. All she knows is how to fight. But to save Daji, what she will need the most will not be her gun or her might at arms . . . it will be a confrontation with her past, her mistakes, and a proof that she is more than an engine of violence.
This is the sixth installment in the Machine Mandate series, and I definitely wouldn’t start here – at minimum you need to have read Shall Machines Divide the Earth, the third novella, which features Thannarat!
Everything for Everyone: An Oral History of the New York Commune, 2052–2072 by M. E. O'Brien, Eman Abdelhadi Genres: Speculative Fiction
Published on: 5th July 2022
Goodreads
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By the middle of the twenty-first century, war, famine, economic collapse, and climate catastrophe had toppled the world's governments. In the 2050s, the insurrections reached the nerve center of global capitalism—New York City. This book, a collection of interviews with the people who made the revolution, was published to mark the twentieth anniversary of the New York Commune, a radically new social order forged in the ashes of capitalist collapse.
Here is the insurrection in the words of the people who made it, a cast as diverse as the city itself. Nurses, sex workers, antifascist militants, and survivors of all stripes recall the collapse of life as they knew it and the emergence of a collective alternative. Their stories, delivered in deeply human fashion, together outline how ordinary people's efforts to survive in the face of crisis contain the seeds of a new world.
As best as I can tell, the ebook edition of Everything For Everyone is out tomorrow, but the paper version isn’t being released until next month. I really hope I’m not wrong about this, because I seriously can’t wait to read it!
Flames Of Mira (The Rift Walker, #1) by Clay Harmon Genres: Fantasy
Published on: 5th July 2022
Goodreads
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An epic new fantasy in a world of ice, magma and magic!
Among the volcanoes beneath Mira’s frozen lands, people like Ig are forced to undergo life-threatening trials that bind chemical elements to the human body. One of Mira's most powerful elementals, Ig works in secret as an enforcer for the corrupt Magnate Sorrelo Adriann, but is cursed with flesh binding magic — magic that will kill him at the first sign of disobedience. His days are spent hunting down anyone who would oppose the magnate, a shell of his old self who clings to old memories and his budding friendships with the magnate's son and daughter.
When Sorrelo is overthrown in a coup and the country is thrown into chaos, Ig quickly learns he can do far worse than what Sorrelo has asked from him so far. If he can’t rediscover the person he was and escape the flesh binding in time, he will have to kill countless innocents as Sorrelo and his allies seek to reclaim the throne, or sacrifice himself trying.
This sounds like a really interesting premise, and I’ve been intrigued by what I’ve heard from early reviews. Not sure if it’ll be too dark for me, but I’m definitely going to give it a go.
The Charmed List by Julie Abe Genres: Fantasy, Contemporary or Urban Fantasy
Published on: 5th July 2022
Goodreads
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After spending most of high school as the quiet girl, Ellie Kobata is ready to take some risks and have a life-changing summer, starting with her Anti-Wallflower List—thirteen items she’s going to check off one by one. She’s looking forward to riding rollercoasters, making her art Instagram public (maybe), and going on an epic road-trip with her best friend Lia.
But when number four on Ellie’s list goes horribly wrong—revenge on Jack Yasuda—she’s certain her summer has gone from charmed to cursed. Instead of a road trip with Lia, Ellie finds herself stuck in a car with Jack driving to a magical convention. But as Ellie and Jack travel down the coast of California, number thirteen on her list—fall in love—may be happening without her realizing it.
In The Charmed List, Julie Abe sweeps readers away to a secret magical world, complete with cupcakes and tea with added sparks of joy, and an enchanted cottage where you can dance under the stars.
It’s not clear in the blob, but apparently both Ellie and Jack are members of a magical community that lives hidden amongst the rest of us? Which definitely made me perk up, along with the info that this book features food and drink infused with magic! I am always here for magic food.
Will you be reading any of these? Let me know!
The post Must-Have Monday #92 appeared first on Every Book a Doorway.
July 1, 2022
2022 Mid-Year Freak Out Book Tag
Doing this tag has started to become tradition – I have way too much fun making pie charts!
HOW MUCH HAVE YOU READ?
Unlike last year, I’m ahead of schedule with my Goodreads challenge at 114 books! Honestly I’m surprised, because it feels like I’ve had a lot of bad months, but I guess I’ve managed to keep reading despite that.
WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN READING?
Surprising absolutely no one, Fantasy continues to dominate my reading. But Sci Fi has doubled its share since this time last year, when it only made up 11% of my reading! LE GASP!
And Other, aka not-spec-fic, has increased too, though only a little; last year it was 5.6%, and now it’s inched up to 6.1%.
My DNF rate has stayed almost exactly the same; last year it was 23.1%. But more 4★s than last year, and slightly less 5★s.
This is the first year I’ve made a pie chart for author ethnicity – last year I had a ‘marginalised’ slice, but that included things like sexual and gender identity. I don’t track those things any more, because they’re none of my damn business and there’s no way to know how many people are in the closet (which is entirely their right) anyway.
I’ve got to admit, this makes me wince. I’d really like the BIPOC slice to be significantly bigger. Guess I’ve got to continue to work on that.
BEST BOOK/S YOU’VE READ SO FAR IN 2022
Yes, I had to include the entire Inda series; no, I regret nothing!
But seriously, there have already been so many incredible books this year. It was almost impossible to wrestle them down to 14 – I’d really like to include a whole bunch more. IT HAS BEEN A VERY GOOD BOOK YEAR THUS FAR.
BEST SEQUEL/S YOU’VE READ SO FAR IN 2022
All of these knocked it out of the park, as books and as sequels. A Choir of Lies, in particular, vastly outshines the first book in its series, if you ask me (and both work as standalones). The Hourglass Throne brought the first trilogy of the Tarot Sequence to a stunning end, whereas Inheritors of Power just upped the stakes immensely. Eee!
NEW RELEASE YOU HAVEN’T READ YET, BUT WANT TO
When most of your attention goes to ARCs, it’s so easy to miss other books. I’m dying to get to all of these and have in fact started a few. Now to finish them!
MOST ANTICIPATED RELEASE/S FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR
This year is packed with books I’m excited for; I’m in no danger of running out any time soon. These are just some of the ones I’m most grabby-hands for!
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT/S
No question: this dubious honour definitely goes to Silk Fire, which is a fucking trainwreck. It has justifiably been called misogynist and racist and a whole bunch of other things, but it is also, to be perfectly candid, fucking terrible. As in, Ellor can’t write and I can’t believe this is a real book really being published. Urgh.
BIGGEST SURPRISE/S
One Day All This Will Be Yours and Several People Are Typing are books I read for the Subjective Chaos Kind of Awards and didn’t expect to like, but actually ended up charmed by. And Daughter of Redwinter turned out to be one of my favourite books of the year, even though the cover, blurb, and author’s previous books all seemed designed to make me run for cover.
NEW FAVOURITE AUTHOR/S (DEBUTS OR NEW TO YOU)Stant Litore is a self-published author, which is the only reason I can think of that he wasn’t on my radar already (it’s so much harder to discover good self-published books!)
Lachelle Seville’s Darknesses might be her debut, but also cemented her place in my auto-buy list of authors FOREVER by writing The Best Vampire Book.
And of course, Maya Deane, whose Wrath Goddess Sing is flawless in every way.
UNDERRATED GEMS YOU’VE DISCOVERED RECENTLY
I haven’t seen anyone else talking about any of these books and THAT IS A TRAVESTY. They are all MOST EXCELLENT and more people need to read them!
My review of Ansible
My review of Incursion
My review of Darknesses
A lot of new entries in various series meant a lot of rereading previous books to refresh my memory!
BOOK/S THAT MADE YOU CRY
In a good way! Mostly. Sort of. What do you call it when a book makes you cry because it’s full of so much hope???
BOOK/S THAT MADE YOU HAPPY
Each of these filled me with glee and giggles, even though none of them are purely light-hearted.
MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOK YOU’VE BOUGHT SO FAR THIS YEARDefinitely Saint Death’s Daughter. IT HAS PINK ENDCOVERS!!!
WHAT BOOKS DO YOU NEED TO READ BY THE END OF THE YEAR?
All of them??? All of them.
And a whole bunch more, but these are the five that feel the most urgent!
So there you go – a snapshot of my reading life the last half a year. Here’s to the next six months being better in all the ways!
The post 2022 Mid-Year Freak Out Book Tag appeared first on Every Book a Doorway.
June 30, 2022
In Short: June
This month’s been rough – I’ve been ill and in pain and depressed, and the inevitable summer heatwave has hit. I’ve had a harder and harder time reaching out and talking to people; I just don’t have the spoons. And all of that, of course, has made it more difficult to read.
ARCs Received
Four is plenty; I’m genuinely trying to slow down when it comes to ARCs! I think I have ARCs of virtually every book I’m excited for this year, now!
Read
18 books this month – only two less than May; you can hardly tell I haven’t been well. I read very little of the books I’m supposed to be reading and curled up with ‘light’ books instead, like Legends & Lattes and The Henchmen of Zenda (which I adored).
Darknesses and Aspects were both incredible in very different ways, and the Grief of Stones, Against All Gods and Our Child of the Stars were all close runners-up. Plus it was a pure joy to reread Night Shine – it’s been too long!
11.11% of this month’s books were by BIPOC authors. Not good enough, but better than May at least.
Reviewed
I wish I’d managed more, but five full reviews is one more than the minimum of one a week, so I’m not displeased. Definitely better than last month!
DNF-ed
This was very much a month of being disappointed by books I was looking forward to immensely – although I intend to come back to Queen of Clouds at some point.
ARCs Outstanding
18 ARCs outstanding. July is my ARC-reading month – let’s see how many of these I can get read and reviewed!
MiscEvery Book a Doorway turned three years old this month! To celebrate, I made a rec list inspired by the colours of the Pride flag. And – unrelated to my blogoversary – I made a special Pride edition Can’t-Wait-For post, with the queer books I was most excited for this month!
Looking ForwardJuly isn’t packed with new releases I’m interested in – just these three! – so I’m planning on tackling the ARCs that have been piling up. Cleared my schedule and everything! So let’s see how that goes.
Many July be kinder to us all.
The post In Short: June appeared first on Every Book a Doorway.
June 29, 2022
June DNFs
Where did June go? I can’t believe the month’s about over already.
Eight DNFs this month – pretty bad; that’s an average of two a week…
Her Majesty's Royal Coven (Her Majesty's Royal Coven, #1) by Juno Dawson Genres: Fantasy, Contemporary or Urban Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Black sapphic MC, F/F, major trans character
ISBN: B09GVYKDKC
Goodreads
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A Discovery of Witches meets The Craft in this the first installment of this epic fantasy trilogy about a group of childhood friends who are also witches.
If you look hard enough at old photographs, we’re there in the background: healers in the trenches; Suffragettes; Bletchley Park oracles; land girls and resistance fighters. Why is it we help in times of crisis? We have a gift. We are stronger than Mundanes, plain and simple.
At the dawn of their adolescence, on the eve of the summer solstice, four young girls--Helena, Leonie, Niamh and Elle--took the oath to join Her Majesty's Royal Coven, established by Queen Elizabeth I as a covert government department. Now, decades later, the witch community is still reeling from a civil war and Helena is now the reigning High Priestess of the organization. Yet Helena is the only one of her friend group still enmeshed in the stale bureaucracy of HMRC. Elle is trying to pretend she's a normal housewife, and Niamh has become a country vet, using her powers to heal sick animals. In what Helena perceives as the deepest betrayal, Leonie has defected to start her own more inclusive and intersectional coven, Diaspora. And now Helena has a bigger problem. A young warlock of extraordinary capabilities has been captured by authorities and seems to threaten the very existence of HMRC. With conflicting beliefs over the best course of action, the four friends must decide where their loyalties lie: with preserving tradition, or doing what is right.
Juno Dawson explores gender and the corrupting nature of power in a delightful and provocative story of magic and matriarchy, friendship and feminism. Dealing with all the aspects of contemporary womanhood, as well as being phenomenally powerful witches, Niamh, Helena, Leonie and Elle may have grown apart but they will always be bound by the sisterhood of the coven.
I see what this was trying to do, but I just could not enjoy Dawson’s prose. It’s so blunt and dry, and both the worldbuilding and the characters themselves bored me to tears. I’m sure that by the end of the book both the worldbuilding and the characters have been challenged – that’s clearly what Dawson set out to do with this story – but I had zero desire to read through the blegh in the hopes of it all getting better later.
Simplistic, too info-dump-y, with cringingly banal characters. No thanks.
Queen of Clouds by Neil Williamson Genres: Fantasy, Secondary World Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Bisexual MC
ISBN: B09RTGWCMP
Goodreads
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Queen of Clouds is a sumptuous fantasy from the mind of Glasgow-based author and musician Neil Williamson. Neil's debut novel The Moon King was described by Jeff VanderMeer as "one of the best debuts of this or any other year" and went on to be shortlisted for both the BSFA Award and British Fantasy Award for best novel.
Billy Braid has been raised in an idyllic mountain backwater, aiding Master Kim to craft strangely sentient sylvans from carefully cultivated trees. Then the outside world impinges, and Billy is tasked with delivering a sylvan to the Sunshine City of Karpentine. Upon his arrival, Billy falls in with a young Weathermaker, Paraphernalia, who proves to be fascinating and infuriating in equal measure. But all is not well in the Sunshine City, and Billy is soon embroiled in Machiavellian intrigues he is ill-equipped to understand, as the city's ruling Guilds - the Constructors, Inksmiths, Weathermakers and more - jostle for status and power, seeing him as the key..
Queen of Clouds is a delight; a fast-paced tale set in a richly imagined world. Wooden automata, sentient weather, talking cats, compellant inks, a tower of hands built from the casts provided by the city's many visitors, and a host of vividly realised characters provide the backdrop as the drama rushes to its stunning climax.
I loved the first third or so of this book, but after that it became so…heavy-feeling…that I completely lost interest. The worldbuilding was fantastic, and I’ll probably come back to Queen of Clouds at some point – maybe I was just in the wrong headspace for it at the time – but for now I’m putting it aside.
Sistersong by Lucy Holland Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Trans MC
ISBN: B08LDNZLC8
Goodreads
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Inspired by the dark folk ballad “The Two Sisters”, interweaving the perspective of a third sibling that history forgot, Sistersong is a rich and lyrical tale in the tradition of Circe and The Bear and the Nightingale—the story of three daughters of a pagan king who each have their own magical gift, and their own price to pay, when war comes to their land.
In the ancient kingdom of Dumnonia, there is old magic to be found in the whisper of the wind, the roots of the trees, the curl of the grass. King Cador knew this once, but now the land has turned from him, calling instead to his three daughters. Riva can cure others, but can’t seem to heal her own deep scars. Keyne battles to be seen for who she truly is—the king’s son. And Sinne dreams of seeing the world, of finding love and adventure.
All three fear a life of confinement within the walls of the hold, their people’s last bastion of strength against the invading Saxons. However, change comes on the day ash falls from the sky. It brings with it Myrdhin, meddler and magician. And Tristan, a warrior whose secrets will tear them apart.
Riva, Keyne and Sinne—three sisters entangled in a web of treachery and heartbreak, who must fight to forge their own paths.
Their story will shape the destiny of Britain.
Sistersong was a book I wanted to read for myself, and also needed to try for the Subjective Chaos Kind of Awards…but it’s another one where I couldn’t stand the prose. And to be honest, I’m just tired of Christianity vs Paganism stories. I have a deep, deep hatred for the Church – I spent my formative years in Ireland in heavily Catholic schools, enough said – so there’s never any conflict for me in which side I support, and I always get worked up, and I’ve just had enough of seeing paganism and magic called sinful, even by characters who are clearly the villains. And that’s without even touching on the awfulness of poor Keyne’s situation – I don’t want to read about trans suffering, either!
But I could have handled all of that if Holland’s prose had been beautiful, and I just don’t think it is. It’s jerky and arrhythmic, and I’m not a fan of first-person narration in general: those two things combined? Make for a DNF.
The Witch and the Tsar by Olesya Salnikova Gilmore Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fantasy
Published on: 20th September 2022
ISBN: B09N723ZGR
Goodreads
In this stunning debut novel, the maligned and immortal witch of legend known as Baba Yaga will risk all to save her country and her people from Tsar Ivan the Terrible—and the dangerous gods who seek to drive the twisted hearts of men.
As a half-goddess possessing magic, Yaga is used to living on her own, her prior entanglements with mortals having led to heartbreak. She mostly keeps to her hut in the woods, where those in need of healing seek her out, even as they spread rumors about her supposed cruelty and wicked spells. But when her old friend Anastasia—now the wife of the tsar, and suffering from a mysterious illness—arrives in her forest desperate for her protection, Yaga realizes the fate of all of Russia is tied to Anastasia’s. Yaga must step out of the shadows to protect the land she loves.
As she travels to Moscow, Yaga witnesses a sixteenth century Russia on the brink of chaos. Tsar Ivan—soon to become Ivan the Terrible—grows more volatile and tyrannical by the day, and Yaga believes the tsaritsa is being poisoned by an unknown enemy. But what Yaga cannot know is that Ivan is being manipulated by powers far older and more fearsome than anyone can imagine.
Olesya Salnikova Gilmore weaves a rich tapestry of mythology and Russian history, reclaiming and reinventing the infamous Baba Yaga, and bringing to life a vibrant and tumultuous Russia, where old gods and new tyrants vie for power. This fierce and compelling novel draws from the timeless lore to create a heroine for the modern day, fighting to save her country and those she loves from oppression while also finding her true purpose as a goddess, a witch, and a woman.
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.
{ "@context":"https://schema.org", "@type":"Review", "datePublished": "2022-06-29T20:31:00+00:00", "description": "Eight DNFs in one month is far too many.", "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Every Book a Doorway" }, "url": "https:\/\/everybookadoorway.com\/june-dnfs\/", "itemReviewed": { "@type": "Book", "name": "The Witch and the Tsar", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Olesya Salnikova Gilmore", "sameAs": "" }, "isbn": "B09N723ZGR" }, "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sia", "sameAs": "https:\/\/everybookadoorway.com\/" }, "reviewRating": { "@type": "Rating", "ratingValue": false, "bestRating": "5" }}So first off, this is not actually a book featuring Baba Yaga. This is a book about a half-mortal child of a Slavic goddess, a woman who is physically frozen in her thirties and works as a magical healer, especially of women. Her name is Yaga, but she is not Baba Yaga. The myths and folklore we know are false, lies spread by hateful Christians, particularly hateful Christian men.
That was immediately disappointing to me. I was looking forward to a novel about the real, complex, often frightening figure of Russian and Slavic folklore, the one who rewards intelligence and cunning and eats idiot heroes for breakfast. Because that is an interesting character. Not necessarily a nice one, and certainly not an easy figure to write about if you’re looking to make her likable to your readers, but definitely interesting. I wanted to see that Baba Yaga going up against Ivan the Terrible and kicking his ass.
The Witch and the Tsar is not that book. And I’ve gotta be honest, I think what Gilmore’s done is unbelievably boring and lazy. You wanted the cachet of a big, powerful mythological name, but didn’t want to or didn’t know how to take on the complexity that comes with that name. Gilmore stripped away Baba Yaga’s age, her trickster-esqueess, the terror she inspires and wields, her power and her wildness – and left us with a younger, sweet, naive twit whose life has been hard Because Men.
How is that not insulting? That’s not a feminist power-move, it’s the exact opposite, making her younger and prettier and more palatable to the pearl-clutchers. Making her tamer in the name of making her likable.
It’s extra frustrating because it would have taken so little effort to separate this story from any connection with Baba Yaga. Gilmore’s Yaga just needs a different name and a different house, and this could have been the exact same novel without turning an epically monstrous and powerful witch into a milquetoast.
You didn’t need to co-opt Baba Yaga for this book. And I wish Gilmore hadn’t.
However, even if she’d left Baba Yaga alone and named her witch something else, this would likely still be a DNF. Gilmore packs the first few chapters with telling-telling-telling that doesn’t flow especially well, while hand-waving the interesting bits (for example, the famous chicken-legged house ‘just came’ to Yaga after her mother’s death – no explanation as to where it came from, how it was made, etc). Her main character is incredibly bland and over-familiar – we’ve seen this exact character template so many, many times – and there’s so many moments of just jaw-dropping stupidity that I felt insulted as a reader.
Case in point: one of Yaga’s companions, Dyen, is an immortal wolf who can speak to her telepathically. When Yaga goes to Moscow, Dyen accompanies her. Yaga then wonders why people are staring at her when she’s done her best to fit in – despite the massive wolf walking next to her. A wolf which is allowed into the royal palace without protest. A wolf which, once Yaga’s audience with the king is over, runs off into the palace alone and everyone is fine with that.
I’m pretty sure 16th-century Russians were not that cavalier about wolves. Because, you know. Wolves.
So, I quit. This isn’t the book I wanted it to be, and the book that it is is also pretty terrible. No thanks.
Into the Broken Lands by Tanya Huff Genres: Fantasy
Published on: 2nd August 2022
ISBN: B09KXSXCV9
Goodreads
From sci-fi and fantasy master Tanya Huff comes a new epic fantasy saga set in a land of dangers and mysteries
Shattered by mage wars, the Broken Lands will test the bonds of family and friendship, strength and sanity. To save their people, the Heirs of Marsan have no choice but to enter, trusting their lives and the lives of everyone they Protect, to someone who shouldn't exist, who can't be controlled, and who will challenge everything they believe about themselves.
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.
{ "@context":"https://schema.org", "@type":"Review", "datePublished": "2022-06-29T20:31:00+00:00", "description": "Eight DNFs in one month is far too many.", "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Every Book a Doorway" }, "url": "https:\/\/everybookadoorway.com\/june-dnfs\/", "itemReviewed": { "@type": "Book", "name": "Into the Broken Lands", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tanya Huff", "sameAs": "" }, "isbn": "B09KXSXCV9" }, "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sia", "sameAs": "https:\/\/everybookadoorway.com\/" }, "reviewRating": { "@type": "Rating", "ratingValue": false, "bestRating": "5" }}I just found this to be a very boring book revolving around some fairly unlikable characters. Nothing at all happens for the whole first quarter of the novel, except for the reader being introduced to the cast, almost all of whom are some flavour of awful as they wait around for permission to enter the Broken Lands. Several of the minor characters absolutely shone – I loved the inhabitants of Gateway, the last vestige of humanity before entering the Broken Lands – and I get that this is almost certainly going to be a Personal Growth story, where the awful and/or annoying characters are Better by the end… But I see no reason to force myself to read a book whose cast I mostly can’t stand, just to see them sort themselves out later.
There was just zero incentive to keep reading – the Broken Lands weren’t made out to be very interesting, I didn’t feel the urgency the characters were supposed to be driven by, and it was clear within a few chapters that the story the main cast know of their history and the history of the Broken Lands is completely wrong and hey, maybe you should listen to these people who live right next door to it all? Just an idea.
I’ve loved many of Huff’s other books, but alas, not this one.
Silver Under Nightfall by Rin Chupeco Genres: Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Nonbinary MC, M/M/F
Published on: 13th September 2022
ISBN: 1982195738
Goodreads
Full of court intrigue, queer romance, and terrifying monsters—this gothic epic fantasy will appeal to fans of Samantha Shannon’s The Priory of the Orange Tree and the adult animated series Castlevania.
Remy Pendergast is many things: the only son of the Duke of Valenbonne (though his father might wish otherwise), an elite bounty hunter of rogue vampires, and an outcast among his fellow Reapers. His mother was the subject of gossip even before she eloped with a vampire, giving rise to the rumors that Remy is half-vampire himself. Though the kingdom of Aluria barely tolerates him, Remy’s father has been shaping him into a weapon to fight for the kingdom at any cost.
When a terrifying new breed of vampire is sighted outside of the city, Remy prepares to investigate alone. But then he encounters the shockingly warmhearted vampire heiress Xiaodan Song and her infuriatingly arrogant fiancé, vampire lord Zidan Malekh, who may hold the key to defeating the creatures—though he knows associating with them won’t do his reputation any favors. When he’s offered a spot alongside them to find the truth about the mutating virus Rot that’s plaguing the kingdom, Remy faces a choice.
It’s one he’s certain he’ll regret.
But as the three face dangerous hardships during their journey, Remy develops fond and complicated feelings for the couple. He begins to question what he holds true about vampires, as well as the story behind his own family legacy. As the Rot continues to spread across the kingdom, Remy must decide where his loyalties lie: with his father and the kingdom he’s been trained all his life to defend or the vampires who might just be the death of him.
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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Everyone around Remy is unremittingly awful, the setting and set-up are beyond over the top, everything is handwaved, the prose is clunky and graceless (what happened??? Chupeco’s prose has always been gorgeous until now!) and I couldn’t make myself feel the slightest bit invested in the polyamory – after being so ridiculously excited for it.
I think this will vibe with the right reader – if you’re into over the top, Extremely Extra anime vampires, well, this is basically that in book form – but I couldn’t stand it. I made it to 20% and had absolutely zero interest in continuing on.
This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, but no part of it lived up to the premise.
Reluctant Immortals by Gwendolyn Kiste Genres: Fantasy, Contemporary or Urban Fantasy
Published on: 23rd August 2022
ISBN: B09JPGS5MV
Goodreads
For fans of Mexican Gothic, from three-time Bram Stoker Award–winning author Gwendolyn Kiste comes a novel inspired by the untold stories of forgotten women in classic literature--from Lucy Westenra, a victim of Stoker’s Dracula, and Bertha Mason, from Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre--as they band together to combat the toxic men bent on destroying their lives, set against the backdrop of the Summer of Love, Haight-Ashbury, 1967.
Reluctant Immortals is a historical horror novel that looks at two men of classic literature, Dracula and Mr. Rochester, and the two women who survived them, Bertha and Lucy, who are now undead immortals residing in Los Angeles in 1967 when Dracula and Rochester make a shocking return in the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco.
Combining elements of historical and gothic fiction with a modern perspective, in a tale of love and betrayal and coercion, Reluctant Immortals is the lyrical and harrowing journey of two women from classic literature as they bravely claim their own destiny in a man’s world.
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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But it does feel like an it’s-not-you-it’s-me. Kiste’s writing is great and her take is clever, but I like my reads with purpler prose and much more magic-heavy. This is a book I shouldn’t have tried to read, and I wouldn’t want my DNF to discourage anyone else from picking it up and giving it a go if it sounds like your thing.
The Path of Thorns by A.G. Slatter Genres: Fantasy
Published on: 28th June 2022
ISBN: B09GN6Y4M1
Goodreads
Alone in the world, Asher Todd travels to the remote estate of Morwood Grange to become governess to three small children. Her sole possessions comprise a sea chest and a large carpet bag she hangs onto for dear life. She finds a fine old home, its inhabitants proud of their lineage and impeccable reputation, and a small village nearby. It seems an untroubled existence, yet there are portraits missing from the walls, locked rooms, and names excised from the family tree inscribed in the bible. In short order, the children adore her, she becomes indispensible to their father Luther in his laboratory, and her potions are able to restore the sight of granddame Leonora. Soon Asher fits in as if she’s always been there, but there are creatures that stalk the woods at night, spectres haunt the halls, and Asher is not as much a stranger to the Morwoods as it might at first appear.
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.
{ "@context":"https://schema.org", "@type":"Review", "datePublished": "2022-06-29T20:31:00+00:00", "description": "Eight DNFs in one month is far too many.", "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Every Book a Doorway" }, "url": "https:\/\/everybookadoorway.com\/june-dnfs\/", "itemReviewed": { "@type": "Book", "name": "The Path of Thorns", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "A.G. Slatter", "sameAs": "" }, "isbn": "B09GN6Y4M1" }, "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sia", "sameAs": "https:\/\/everybookadoorway.com\/" }, "reviewRating": { "@type": "Rating", "ratingValue": false, "bestRating": "5" }}I really don’t know what happened here – I loved Slatter’s All the Murmuring Bones, and I finally read her collection Sourdough this year and adored that too. But I struggled with Bitterwood and Tallow-Wife, and now it seems that The Path of Thorns didn’t work for me either. It struck me as incredibly dry and blunt, with a jerky, stop-and-start rhythm to the prose. Even the cover’s promise of werewolves couldn’t convince me to keep reading.
I might give it another go at some point – I don’t really understand how I could enjoy Slatter’s writing in two of her books but not the rest, so maybe it’s just a wrong-book-wrong-time thing? – but for now I’m putting it aside.
Here’s hoping for fewer DNFs in July!
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