Category: Reviews

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Phaedra by Laura Shepperson

Phaedra by Laura Shepperson

Genre: Fantasy, Mythology, Myth Retold

Laura Shepperson’s debut novel Phaedra (released as The Heroines in UK/AUS) is another new release in Greek myth retellings. The story follows Phaedra, who married Theseus after he slayed the Minotaur. This work re-examines the story from Phaedras point of view, and turns the story on its head. Ultimately, Phaedra, who is misunderstood, demands justice for the suffering and helplessness that is felt by not only herself, but for abused women everywhere.

It’s a very complex story (and controversial, as far as myths go). I won’t spoil the ending here for anyone who doesn’t know how the myth goes, but if you are interested search for Euripides’ Hippolytus myth summary.

A stark contrast between gender roles is explored within this work, showing how different expectations and beliefs were between men and women during this time in history.

IMHO the world-building left a lot to be desired, and I found the multiple POVs to be confusing at times. The challenging subject matter makes it an emotionally difficult read, in itself. Not hard, but uncomfortable to read, at times. And who am I to judge? They say good literature evokes feelings and makes you think critically…which this story definitely does. I do think this story brings a fresh twist to an old myth, and I am still excited to add this new story of Phaedra to my mythology collection 💙

⭐️⭐️⭐️

TW: rape, abuse, suicide

Thank you to @alcovepress @penguinrandomhouse and @laurashepperson for gifting me this ARC💕

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Pod by Laline Paull

Pod by Laline Paull

Release Date: February 7

Laline Paull returns with an immersive new novel about the ocean world as told through the eyes of two different dolphin pods: spinner dolphins, and bottlenose dolphins.

Ea is more than just a spinner dolphin. Ea is different. In this story, she has an identity. She has an acoustic disability that makes her unable to spin like the other dolphins in her pod, and she is ultimately on a journey of self-understanding and acceptance. As her inner struggles become more complex, she must also grapple with the changing of her world when she is uprooted from everything and everyone she knows. When catastrophe befalls her family and Ea knows she is partly to blame, she decides to make the ultimate sacrifice and leave the pod.

The ocean is a place of peace and calm. Until ocean demons and pollution threaten the oceans’ way of thriving. As Ea ventures into the vast, she finds danger lurking everywhere. The ocean itself seems to be changing; creatures are mutating, demonic noises pierce the depths, and entire species of fish disappear into the sky above.

I would describe it as scientific fiction, but I wouldn’t exactly call it sci-fi… I would call it cli-fi (climate fiction) because, though it is the story of dolphins, it is also the story of the whole ocean, and how the careless and cruel actions of humans put entire ecosystems at risk.

A diverse cast of sea creatures from dolphins and whales to pufferfish create an incredibly unique POV. Writing the main characters as dolphins and other marine animals draws comparisons between animals and humans, suggesting that we’re all the same— we, all of us are living beings.

This is a musical story, full of sound and space. Because dolphins use sonar, sound and music are strong themes in this book. Beautiful imagery and stunning ocean settings make this a perfect blend of reality and fiction. I loved how musical prose is woven so intricately with scientific fact, and I love this author because she has an amazing way of educating readers about the ocean while entertaining them at the same time.

TW: rape, sexual assault, death

Thank you so much to Pegasus Books for sending me an early copy to read and review. I love Laline Paull, and this is a new favorite of mine!

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Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies by Michael Ausiello (now a major motion-picture)

“But there was another part of me that saw the installation as the defining metaphor for how Kit had confronted this entire year: with grace, courage, dark humor, and unquestionable fearlessness, right up to the end.” —Michael Ausiello, Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies

This was the most heart-wrenching book I have read in a long time. It was also really beautiful. If you get a chance to read or watch the new movie—do it.

This moving biographical memoir centers around Michael Ausiello and his partner Kit Cowan, who was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of Neuroendocrine cancer. Though Kit and Michael did their best to fight the deadly disease, Kit’s struggle ended just 11 months after his diagnosis. This is the life story of Kit, and the love story of Kit-and-Mike, all wrapped up in a touching dedication to an incredible fighter—Kit Cowan.

Thank you @the.queerreader for sending me this book so we could buddy read without waiting for library holds 

 I can’t remember the last book that made me cry this much. I loved and hated every second of it 

Kit, you are amazing. Michael, you are amazing. Thank you for sharing Kit’s story—and your story—with the world.

Follow Michael on Instagram @michealausiello and buy Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies here, or stream the new movie today!

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The Davenports by Krystal Marquis

The Davenports by Krystal Marquis

Historical Fiction – Chicago 1911

Wow!!! I LOVED this book. It is this author’s debut novel, and I can’t wait to see more from her in the future. It was sweet, exciting, and well-researched historical fiction. I would rank it very high up in my list of favorite historical fictions, actually. I really loved it. The story is loosely based on the C. R. Patterson family. It weaves a lot of important Black history into the story, and is one of those books you could read for fun while still learning a lot, though I would still say romance is central to the story.

SHORT SPOILERY SUMMARY: First, there is Olivia, who is looking for love and ends up in a love triangle. Helen wants to be a mechanic and is on a personal journey. She wants to be respected and valued for more than a pretty face, but things get complicated when she turns her sisters’ love triangle into a love square by falling for Olivia’s suitor. Amy-Rose works for the Davenports, and has big dreams of opening her own salon. And she falls in love with Olivia’ brother, who already has something going on with Oliva’s riches-to-rags BFF Ruby!!! SO. MUCH. DRAMAAA!

I loved Amy-Rose and her love story, hers was my favorite couple, easily! Helen was an awesome SFL and the chapters from her POV were my favorites overall. But, its hard to pick favorites because Olivia was also amazing!! I think Ruby was my least favorite, just because I got jealous-friend-vibes from her near the beginning and I couldn’t shake them off. But it left lots of room for her character to grow, so that was valuable.

I love when authors hide character traits within the characters’ names (the closest word I can find is ‘Euonym‘: a name well suited to the person, place, or thing named. I feel like there is a better literary device for this, if you know it please help me!). I thought it was clever that there was flower imagery in Amy-Rose chapters, gemstone imagery in Ruby chapters, and Olivia gets an olive-branch moment that is super adorable.

Overall I enjoyed Marquis’ writing style. Having four main characters can be a lot to juggle, but each perspective is so different that it makes it really easy to keep them separate in your head. The multiple POV also allowed readers to see the differences in class, the challenging of gender roles, and the difficulty of aquiring and maintaining wealth and status. There were places where I thought the grammar could have been better, and passages that I thought could be reworded for readability, but this copy was just an ARC and those things are usually fixed in final copies. I did think the story moved very fast, and because of the multiple POVs certain characters and relationships could have been fleshed out more. Also, more history!! I selfishly would have loved to this done as a series, but that’s just because I wanted more lol!

I also maintain that this could make a really great show or movie adaptation!

 Follow Krystal Marquis on Instagram @krystabelle_reads and @krystalmarquis on Twitter.

Thank you to Penguin Teen for sending me an ARC of this title. All opinions are my own.

#PenguinTeenPartner!

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A Wicked Game by Kate Bateman

“Their three kisses would be just the beginning. He wanted all of her, body and soul.” —Kate Bateman, A Wicked Game

This was my first Kate Bateman book and right away I fell in love with this author’s writing style! It is the third book of the Ruthless Rivals series, but can easily be read as a standalone. A Wicked game was exciting, fast-paced, and steamy. Now I can’t wait to read more of this author!

It was a light and easy read, and it brought me back to a time when all I wanted to do was read harlequin resonances under my desk. This was a fun book to start the year with—romance, scandal, and smut, what more could you want!

𝕄𝕦𝕤𝕥 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕚𝕗 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖:
-Harlequin romance
-Rivalry & Revenge
-Old Maps

This was a pleasure to read! Two childhood rivals, one bet: three kisses. A rogue and a lady tease each other, constantly bickering, but in a tension-building way that is irresistibly hot.

An anonymous act of heroism from one leads to dangerous consequences for another. But not everything is as simple as it seems. Can their desire for each other overcome their desire for revenge?

Thank you to @macmillanusa and @stmartinspress for sending me an ARC of this title! All opinions are my own.

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The Penguin Book of Christmas Stories

This is a collection of some of the most magical, moving, chilling and surprising Christmas stories from around the world. These short stories take readers on a Christmas journey, from the frozen Nordic woods to the glittering streets of Paris, a New York speakeasy to a quaint English country house, the bustling city of Lagos to midnight mass in Rio, and even deep into outer space. Featuring Santa, ghosts, trolls, unexpected guests, curmudgeons, and miracles, here is Christmas as imagined by some of the greatest short story writers of all time.

Collected works by writers big and small make this an essential companion for any Christmas reader. Classic Christmas storytellers such as Hans Christian Anderson and O. Henry have features in this compendium, as well as some unexpected names like Truman Capote, Shirley Jackson, and Chekhov, in addition to little-known treasures such as Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis, Italo Calvino and Irène Nemerovsky (and more!).

Some of my favorites include:

The Fir Tree by Hans Christian Andersen

The Legend of the Christmas Rose by Selma Lagerlof

A Chaparral Christmas Gift by O. Henry

The Necklace of Pearls by Dorothy L. Sayers

One Christmas Eve by Langston Hughes

The Gift by Ray Bradbury

I was a little disappointed that the O. Henry story included wasn’t The Gift of the Magi, but I did enjoy A Chaparral Christmas Gift (which I hadn’t read before), so actually, it was probably a good thing that I got to read a new O. Henry story instead of one I already knew. 

This book of short classic Christmas stories is the perfect book to cozy up with this holiday. I am in love with this collection and can see that myself and my family will cherish reading these Christmas stories for years to come.

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Christmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday’s Traditions

Christmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday’s Traditions by Brian Earl

Behind every Christmas tradition is a story. Every year, as we trim our tree, build gingerbread houses, and bake cookies to leave out for Santa, we are continuing generations-old customs and rituals. Knowing where and how these traditions began can add a new level of depth to our understanding of the holidays (and, will surely make you the appointed Christmas connoisseur at all of your holiday parties!).

Christmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday’s Traditions reveals the surprising, quirky, and sometimes horrifying stories behind the most wonderful time of the year. With 26 short chapters, it is a festive, digestible Advent calendar of a book that is perfect fireside reading for the holiday season!

Have you ever wondered why we hang Christmas lights? (hint: so Santa can find us in the dark!) Why do we say ‘Merry Christmas’? And why is egg nog seasonal?? Covering ancient and modern traditions, Christmas Past is filled with the origin stories of happy accidents, cultural histories, criminal capers (including tomb raiders and con artists), and hidden connections between Christmas and broader social, economic, and technological influences. How did the invention of plate glass forever change the Christmas season? What common Christmas item helped introduce fine art to the masses? Why do Americans typically spike their eggnog with rum, rather than the traditional brandy? And speaking of booze, does using the phrase “Merry Christmas” mark you as a drunken reveler? Christmas Past answers all of those questions, and many more.

Thank you to Rowman & Littlefield for sending me an ARC of this title! All opinions are my own.

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An A-Z of Jane Austen

𝐽 𝑖𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝐽𝑎𝑛𝑒 🤍

An A-Z of Jane Austen by Michael Greaney

This was such an interesting read! Jane Austen is my all-time fav, and I always jump at the chance to learn more about her and her life.

I took so many notes and made too many annotations, but there were so many important passages and I just wanted to highlight everything! 26 short essays highlight keywords concepts and activities that would’ve been important to Jane Austen, and discussed in her books. Some stand out chapters include B is for bath, H is for horse, D is for dance, and V is for visits. I loved these essays and learned even more about Jane and the Regency era 🤍

Thank you so much to @bloomsburypublishing for sending me a copy!

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Meredith, Alone by Claire Alexander

“𝑇𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑚𝑒 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑟𝑦 𝑖𝑠 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑚𝑒 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡ℎ𝑒.”

Meredith, Alone by Claire Alexander

Domestic Fiction

This story opens with Meredith Maggs, who hasn’t left her home in 1,214 days. She likes books, jigsaw puzzles, and baking with her cat. She works remote, interacts with others online, and has a small circle of friends and delivery drivers that help her out—by bringing her groceries, taking her cat to the vet, and checking in on her. She suffers from panic attacks, struggles with anxiety and depression, and her past trauma has forced her into a self-imposed isolation. Her small circle of familiar people and predictable situations are what help her manage.

As the story unfolds we learn more about her trauma, which sheds light on why she relates to the world in the way that she does. Though she is haunted by her past, this is the story of her overcoming, and by the end of the novel Meredith is able to grow and clear the ghosts from her closet. Scary, new, unfamiliar circumstances force Meredith out of her comfort zone, and time and time again she rises and meets challenges head-on until she is able to take back control of her life.

This story is heavily character driven. It centers around Meredith, her thoughts, her fears, her pain, and her hero’s journey.

As a socially anxious introvert myself, I found her to be very relateable. The moments where she doesn’t want to leave the house, or answer the door, or have any interaction with anyone… those were some of my favorite moments.

Thank you to the author Claire Alexander and Grand Central Publishing for sending me an ARC of this title! All opinions are my own.

TW: rape, self-harm, trauma

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Lighting The Wick

This is a really interesting book that glimpses into the ancient art and modern magic of candles. Packed full of wisdom and spells, this book is essential for witches of all paths.

Candle spells are one of the simplest form of magic. Fire helps to align yourself with the elements, focus your intentions and release your energy into the world.

This book offers a wonderful introduction to candle magic, and teaches readers how to harness the power of the flame. It covers everything from the history of candles to spells of all kinds: spells for love, money, career, health, and luck are just some of the things you will learn from this guide.

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Authors Sandra Mariah Wright and Leanne Marrama are professional psychics based in Salem, MA. You can follow them at @thepsychictea and @leannemarrama on Instagram.

Thank you to Tarcher Perigree for sending me an Advance Reading Copy of this title. All opinions are my own. #atpinfluencers

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The Watkins Book Of English Folktales by Neil Philip

These are some of the oldest stories, collected and told here in an effort to revive stories of the past. Some are old favorites and some are new to me, but I am looking forward to reading all of them! There are classics like The Three Little Pigs and Snow-White, and even more new stories like The Old Witch and The Gypsy Woman that I am so excited to read. And it is such a gorgeous copy, I am so proud to add this to my shelves!

There have been countless adaptations of these stories in literature, film, music, and performances across the ages. Even the ‘original’ stories that were written were adapted from stories that were passed down through oral tradition. Authors are drawn to revisiting literature and reworking stories in an effort to create a conversation between themselves and the great works of the past. This illustrates how literature adapts to a new age and its new media, making universal age-old ideas modern and relevant. We are all standing on the shoulders of giants. Giants here meaning major texts, “canonical texts”; texts that have withstood time; ancient texts that are still studied today; texts that offer ancient pearls of wisdom; texts that are referenced and made new by modern authors. These folk tales are those great texts.

Thank you to @watkinsbooks and @penguinrandomhouse for sending me this beautiful ARC of The Watkins Book Of English Folktales by Neil Philip. All opinions are my own.

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His Hideous Heart: 13 Stories by Edgar Allan Poe Reimagined

𝕳𝖎𝖘 𝕳𝖎𝖉𝖊𝖔𝖚𝖘 𝕳𝖊𝖆𝖗𝖙 : 13 𝑜𝑓 𝐸𝑑𝑔𝑎𝑟 𝐴𝑙𝑙𝑎𝑛 𝑃𝑜𝑒’𝑠 𝑀𝑜𝑠𝑡 𝑈𝑛𝑠𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑇𝑎𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑅𝑒𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑑

Kᴇɴᴅᴀʀᴇ Bʟᴀᴋᴇ • Aᴍᴀɴᴅᴀ Lᴏᴠᴇʟᴀᴄᴇ • Fʀᴀɴ Wɪʟᴅᴇ • Rɪɴ Cʜᴜᴘᴇᴄᴏ • Lᴀᴍᴀʀ Gɪʟᴇs • Sᴛᴇᴘʜᴀɴɪᴇ Kᴜᴇʜɴ • Tᴇssᴀ Gʀᴀᴛᴛᴏɴ • Tɪꜰꜰᴀɴʏ D. Jᴀᴄᴋsᴏɴ • Hɪʟʟᴀʀʏ Mᴏɴᴀʜᴀɴ • Cᴀʟᴇʙ Rᴏᴇʜʀɪɢ • Mᴀʀɪᴇᴋᴇ Nɪᴊᴋᴀᴍᴘ • Dᴀʜʟɪᴀ Aᴅʟᴇʀ

This is His Hideous Heart, a collection of short stories inspired by Edgar Allan Poe. In homage to Poe and his works, thirteen celebrated authors have come together to reimagine Poe’s most popular tales for a new generation.

Some of the most interesting stories were the ones adapted from poems—Night-Tide by Tessa Gratton (inspired by Annabel Lee) and The Raven (Remix) by amanda lovelace were two of my favorites. I also really loved The Changeling by Marieke Nijkamp and Lygia by Dahlia Adler.

I love that Poe’s original stories are included in the back for people like me who love to compare and contrast the old verses the new!

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