Fantasy and SciFi

Review of The Rumpelstiltskin Problem by Vivian Vande Velde

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Synopsis:
Have you ever wondered just what was going on when that odd little man with the long name stepped up and volunteered to spin straw into gold for the miller’s daughter? If you stop and think about it, there are some very peculiar and rather hard-to-explain components to the story.

Vivian Vande Velde has wondered too, and she’s come up with these six alternative versions of the old legend. A bevy of miller’s daughters confront their perilous situation in very different ways — sometimes comic, sometimes scary. Most of the time, it’s the daughter who gets off safely, but sometimes, amazingly, Rumpelstiltskin himself wins the day. And in one tale, it is the king who cleverly escapes a quite unexpected fate.

Review:
A Fairy Tale in Bad Taste
This was a unique take on who Rumpelstiltskin was and why he wanted a baby. It did give a bit more depth on who Rumpelstiltskin was, and some more backstory than the original tale. The ending was a bit surprising but also fair considering.

Straw Into Gold
I quite enjoyed this take on the classic tale, where Rumpelstiltskin helps multiple times. I absolutely loved the ending, and only wish such a short tale had been longer.

The Domovoi
This was a great take on WHY Rumpelstiltskin appeared and wanted to help spin straw into gold for no reward. I also quite liked the moral of the ending– “Some people… just aren’t happy unless they aren’t happy..” (Page 59)

Papa Rumpelstiltskin
This was one of the better tales in who/what Rumpelstiltskin is and why he wanted so desperately to help the miller’s daughter. Cute!

Ms. Rumpelstiltskin
This was another short story that did a great job of fleshing out the character of Rumpelstiltskin to showcase why someone may have wanted the miller’s daughter’s baby in the first place. The ending was also quite enjoyable.

As Good As Gold
This one I quite loved- one in which the King isn’t the big instigator of such drama. The ending was perfection.

I would recommend this little book for anyone who loves retold fairy tales and quick little reads.

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯

Review of Cursed: An Anthology

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Synopsis:
It’s a prick of blood, the bite of an apple, the evil eye, a wedding ring or a pair of red shoes. Curses come in all shapes and sizes, and they can happen to anyone, not just those of us with unpopular stepparents . . . Here you’ll find unique twists on curses—from fairy tale classics to brand-new hexes of the modern—by bestselling authors!

Review:
This book seems like it would be about curses… but most of it is not. There are certainly some oddball stories throughout, so I will highlight a few that I found exceptionally good.

Red as Snow, White as Blood by Christina Henry
An interesting take on the classic fairytale and stepmother troupe. I quite enjoyed this but it felt familiar.

Listen by Jen Williams
This had a unique twist on a curse and how one gets out of it.

Henry and the Snake-Wood Box by M. R. Carey
I thought this a very interesting take on human nature, the nature of a creature, and how both can change and evolve over time.

Skin by James Brogden
This left a creepy twisted feeling of itchiness; very well done.

Look Inside by Michael Marshall Smith
This was such a unique piece, and I absolutely loved this take on what can touch you; whether you’re aware of it or not.

New Wine by Angela Slatter
With such an abrupt ending, one cannot help but wonder what happens next, how the pieces are picked up, and how one moves on from such a thing.

All in all, the above stories were decent. Look Inside was by far my favourite, followed by New Wine. Given there were 20 works within, and I have very briefly reviewed 6, I will leave you to make your own assumptions. My main issue with the book was that many of the stories didn’t really have anything to do with a “curse” per say, or were merely so elusive about what was really going on that they were less enjoyable. I wouldn’t particularly recommend this book.

Star rating: ✯✯

Review of Waifs and Strays by Helen Harper

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Synopsis:
Nobody is just a cat lady.

Kit McCafferty’s life is quiet, unremarkable and filled with cat hair. In the magical city of Coldstream, located on the border between Scotland and England, Kit is viewed as little more than mildly eccentric and mostly harmless. She passes her days caring for her family of five cats, feeding the local feral moggies, and maintaining relatively good relations with her neighbours.

All that changes, however, when a teenage werewolf shows up at her door in the desperate hope of renting out a nearby vacant flat. Kit knows that the smart move is to tell him to leave. The last thing she needs is to become embroiled in complicated shapeshifter politics. But something about the secretive young werewolf tugs at her heartstrings.

It’s not long before Kit ends up caught in a maelstrom of mysterious crime and magical wrong-doing. Fortunately, there’s far more to Kit McCafferty than meets the eye and she has a few dark secrets of her own.

Of course, anyone with an ounce of intelligence knows that you underestimate a cat lady at your own peril.

Waifs And Strays is the first book in a new urban fantasy crime series. Expect mystery, magic and adventure with a heroine who will keep you turning pages late into the night. There will also be a lot of cats.

Review:
“No matter how good you are there is always someone better, and greater numbers almost always beat greater skill.” (Page 43)

“They must have had fish paste for brains.” (page 225)

Every time I read a new Helen Harper series (or an older one) I always think, this won’t be as great as whatever the last one of her series I read is and yet, this was absolutely phenomenal. There’s great depth and characterization of all the characters we come to meet, and the twist at the end was simple perfection. This book left me in the biggest book hangover, far more than Nocticadia–which had been addictive for completely different reasons. Kit is relatable, understandable, and with lots of moxie.

As an aside, this book is very realistic to the life of a “cat lady”, I say as Abby has decided she MUST be on top of me as I am working at my desk this very moment. I absolutely love how Kit has very different relationships to all of her cats; similar to how multiple cat households are. I also love how Kit’s cats act when they are worried, both for and about themselves/her. They’re pretty darn awesome!

There’s great banter, an awesome plot, and it hits that perfect modern fantasy itch. I highly recommend this to people who love cats, modern fantasy, werewolves, intrigue (sometimes political) and the unexpected.

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

Review of The Ether Witch: The Casting Call by Delemhach

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Synopsis:
Tamlin Ashowan has troubled his family for years. Between the fearfulness of his magic and his refusal to share exactly what it does, his loving parents and sister don’t know how best to guide him. Tam, on the other hand, insists he doesn’t need any assistance. Despite ignoring his magic and possessing a preference for remaining locked up in his room with a good book, Tam is determined to play his role as the heir to his dukedom to the best of his ability. But being the son of Finlay Ashowan, the famous hero of Daxaria, his life is prone to chaos.

Will a new assistant, who has even more secrets than Tam himself, be able to help navigate Tam’s endless responsibilities? Will all chaos break out thanks to the unstable kingdom of Zinfera? And lastly, can Tam handle everything without having to use his magical power, or will he be pushed to new limits as his fate rushes to meet him?

Find the answer to these questions and more in the new trilogy set in the same universe as The House Witch series, The Princess of Potential, and The Burning Witch series. There’s no need to read the previous books to enjoy the new, fun adventure. Feel free to jump right in!

Review:
“…those without ambitions of their own will be swallowed by others who are ravenous with the desire for more.” (Pages 447-448)

Tam is certainly different from his father. Unlike where The House Witch starts, Tam is an adult, but one that hasn’t really ever done anything on his own. He hasn’t faced up to his own abilities and potential, and has allowed himself to live in the shadows of his family. For a while, being left in the dark feels a bit frustrating, as if Tam is keeping a secret even from himself, which, in a way, he was. I loved every twist and turn of this novel, especially the way in which drama follows the Ashowans, even if it is in a different aspect from how Fin may have expected it to occur. It was lovely getting to see how much culture Tamlin has had from growing up as Fin and Annika’s son, and how well he appreciates knowledge and the world around him. I spent so long waiting, waiting, to see if we would have another little furry familiar, and I absolutely cannot wait to see what happens in the next novel!

Part of me wishes I had waited until the trilogy was out to avoid the book hangover this was sure to give me, and yet… I’ll just be waiting for the next! As with all Delemhach’s published works to date, I highly recommend this novel!

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

Review of Nocticadia by Keri Lake

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Synopsis:
A dark, atmospheric tale of deadly secrets and forbidden love.
Mortui vivos docent.
The dead teach the living.

After watching my mother succumb to a mysterious illness, I promised myself two things. I’d find the cure for what ravaged her. And leave the godforsaken city where she abandoned me.

Four years later, I receive an acceptance letter from Dracadia University, one of the oldest, most prestigious schools in the country. Nestled on a secluded island off the coast of Maine, it’s rumored to be haunted by the souls of the mental patients exiled there centuries before. Those whose bones are said to make up the island’s white sandy shores.

And restless ghosts aren’t even its most daunting peculiarity.

Devryck Bramwell, known on campus as Doctor Death, is a brilliant pathologist in charge of the midnight lab. He’s also my devastatingly handsome professor, who seems to loathe tenacious first-years, like me. Except, his dark and enigmatic gaze tells me all the ways he’d devour me if given the chance, and his stolen kisses burn my lips with forbidden jealousy.

I crave his authority.
He aches for redemption.
Together, we’re toxic. Delicious fodder for the prying eyes hellbent on exhuming the rotted skeletons of our pasts.

For the dead have much to teach, and it’s only a matter of time before Dracadia’s most depraved secret is resurrected.

Nocticadia is a standalone dark academia gothic romance.

Review:
“What separates monsters from good men is only a matter of perspective.” (page 80)

This book is one of the absolute best dark romances I’ve read. Diving headfirst into Lilia’s life, there’s drama, there’s the unknown, and there’s a girl who had to grow up too fast. I wish all dark academia books were similar to this one; for this is so much greater than the others I have read, they cannot even be compared. This book is long, but not an epic though I certainly wouldn’t let that deter you because there was always something going on that made it nearly impossible for me to set this book down. I was absolutely enthralled and couldn’t wait to read the “freebie” novella Phobia afterwards (which you can get at the end of the novel).

There are certainly some trigger warnings associated with this book, and this type of taboo isn’t going to be for everyone. There is a lot more drama and behind the scenes politics than one might think at the beginning of the novel. One thing that certainly made this book stand apart in the dark academia genre would be that Lilia is old enough to be in college; older than an average freshman. She also has seen things, and while she might not be overtly experienced romantically, she isn’t some brand new to society hermit looking for connections wherever they find her; she has a particularly goal, and she doesn’t want to let anything stand in her way from understanding and continuing to fight against letting what happened to her mother happen to other people.

Every time I thought, okay, this is it, there were A LOT of hidden secrets and such; BAM, another twist is revealed. This book is perfection, and I am not sure I’ll ever find an equivalent dark academia to this ever again. There’s such tension, so many stakes, and undeniable connections. If you like dark romance, or dark academia, I dare you to take a chance on this book.

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯
Spice rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Review of Mysteries of Thorn Manor by Margaret Rogerson

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Synopsis:
Elisabeth Scrivener is finally settling into her new life with sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn. Now that their demon companion Silas has returned, so has scrutiny from nosy reporters hungry for gossip about the city’s most powerful sorcerer and the librarian who stole his heart. But something strange is afoot at Thorn Manor: the estate’s wards, which are meant to keep their home safe, are acting up and forcibly trapping the Manor’’ occupants inside. Surely it must be a coincidence that this happened just as Nathaniel and Elisabeth started getting closer to one another…

With no access to the outside world, Elisabeth, Nathaniel, and Silas—along with their new maid Mercy—will have to work together to discover the source of the magic behind the malfunctioning wards before they’re due to host the city’s Midwinter Ball. Not an easy task when the house is filled with unexpected secrets, and all Elisabeth can think about is kissing Nathaniel in peace. But when it becomes clear that the house, influenced by the magic of Nathaniel’s ancestors, requires a price for its obedience, Elisabeth and Nathaniel will have to lean on their connection like never before to set things right.

Review:
While I haven’t read Sorcery of Thorns in a hot minute, I was able to score this book in paper form because I knew I’d want it and I am, of course, blown away. Though a small novella, this story captures the magic and story of the Sorcery of Thorns universe. I absolutely loved seeing more of Silas, learning more of what he’s done with himself his many long years of living, and how despite perhaps not being human, he does grow to feel something towards his charges. What I truly adore, however, is how sometimes things can be seen by not said–it can be easier to put in work and do the impossible than to say what one feels, and worry that it might not be reciprocated. I also quite like that Elisabeth isn’t sure of herself and her future, but she’s learning and working and trying to forge a new path unlike others; something her own.

All in all this book was magical, and I only wish I’d read it more closer to when I read Sorcery of Thorns so the characters and setting would have already been ringing in my mind. I highly recommend this book if you liked Sorcery of Thorns.

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

Review of Enchantra by Kaylie Smith

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Synopsis:
Welcome to Enchantra. There’s only one rule: Never, ever trust your heart.

When Genevieve Grimm’s mother is killed, Genevieve wants answers nobody can give… until she receives an invitation to Enchantra, a cursed palace filled with temptations and illusions.

Arrogant and dangerously handsome, Rowin Silver meets her at the door and refuses to let her inside. But Genevieve finds her own way in… And soon realizes her mistake.

Enchantra is a twisted labyrinth of marble and thorns, where Rowin’s family are trapped forever in a deadly game. Now, Genevieve must win or die.

Rowin offers her a deal. They can compete together… if they convince everyone watching that they’re desperately in love.

Genevieve knows she can’t trust Rowin, but she’ll do whatever it takes to survive. As they hunt and hide together, Genevieve tries to ignore the desire burning between them. She absolutely cannot fall for this man. Cannot forget that she’s only pretending to be in love.

After all, it was Rowin who taught her Enchantra’s first rule… Never, ever trust your heart.

Review:
“…you have to choose to live for yourself. You are the most real thing you’ll ever be able to experience.” (Page 332)

Oh my goodness, Kaylie Smith knocked another right out of the park. I wasn’t sure that a story about Genevieve would hit as hard and well as Ophelia’s but this book totally stands on its own and is awesome. I loved all the background bits of Genevieve that were alluded to in Phantasma but not seen, and Rowin with Genevieve is just perfection. I think Enchantra’s games were an excellent change from those of Phantasma, and the way Rowin and Genevieve’s relationship bloomed was mere perfection. The enemies to lovers arc was prevalent, and it was great to see that even when Rowin was upset or exasperated with Genevieve he never once got upset with her for being herself. Neither character was expected to make a sudden shift in personality, which was quite nice as most novels hinge on that need for change that just happens.

This book did deal with some very real issues that people face; being put on the backburner by parents, not feeling adequate/good enough for partners, not feeling a sense of belonging. While Genevieve might have gone to the extreme to try to find someone who could understand, these are feelings that many know all too well. Even Rowin experiences the lack of understanding between siblings that so many have constant struggles with. No family is perfect, even those who do have a united front, and this was displayed very admirably in how conscious one has to be in order to have/give the support needed in life.

This book featured great atmosphere with well drawn out, well described landscapes, as well as interpersonal connections and stories that are impossible not to want to know more of and get lost inside. The spice level was just the right amount and well done. I highly recommend this book for any Dark Fantasy/Romantasy readers, as I eagerly await book 3 in the series.

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Review of A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher

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Synopsis:
Cordelia knows her mother is . . . unusual. Their house doesn’t have any doors between rooms—there are no secrets in this house—and her mother doesn’t allow Cordelia to have a single friend. Unless you count Falada, her mother’s beautiful white horse. The only time Cordelia feels truly free is on her daily rides with him.

But more than simple eccentricity sets her mother apart. Other mothers don’t force their daughters to be silent and motionless for hours, sometimes days, on end. Other mothers aren’t evil sorcerers.

When her mother unexpectedly moves them into the manor home of a wealthy older Squire and his kind but keen-eyed sister, Hester, Cordelia knows this welcoming pair are to be her mother’s next victims. But Cordelia feels at home for the very first time among these people, and as her mother’s plans darken, she must decide how to face the woman who raised her to save the people who have become like family.

Review:
“She picked up her cup and took a sip, trying, like many before her, to drown her emotions with tea.” (Page 185)

I’ve mentioned before that T. Kingfisher has my heart, well, that remains true with this novel as well. One of my favourite parts of this book is while yes, it is very much about Cordelia, we actually have an unlikely older heroine involved as well. I absolutely loved the characters in this novel. The book was spent in suspense between wanting Cordelia to have freedom and a happy ending, but wanting Hester to find one as well as free her brother. I adored the concepts within the book, and how the older women instantly took Cordelia under their wing. Penelope Green is truly an icon, and while I wished things were different, in the end I am so glad for everything this book let the reader experience. There are so many ways in which this book touches on issues the everyday person might have–keeping secrets and disappointing one’s family, worries of age and how that will change a person. All in all, as per all Kingfisher books, I’d highly recommend this one.

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

Review of What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher

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Synopsis:
After their terrifying ordeal at the Usher manor, Alex Easton feels as if they just survived another war. All they crave is rest, routine, and sunshine, but instead, as a favor to Angus and Miss Potter, they find themself heading to their family hunting lodge, deep in the cold, damp forests of their home country, Gallacia.

In theory, one can find relaxation in even the coldest and dampest of Gallacian autumns, but when Easton arrives, they find the caretaker dead, the lodge in disarray, and the grounds troubled by a strange, uncanny silence. The villagers whisper that a breath-stealing monster from folklore has taken up residence in Easton’s home. Easton knows better than to put too much stock in local superstitions, but they can tell that something is not quite right in their home. . . or in their dreams.

Review:
“Something bad happened to both of us, too. We don’t deserve to fall apart either.” (Page 146)

This world has my heart locked in a way that not many books do. From the very beginning, you area locked in a tale that is being both told and shown to you. It seems that mystery and the paranormal are to follow Easton as they make their way across the land. There were so many good parts of this book, however short it is, that it will be hard to fit it into one review. I adored the descriptions of the land, and especially the silence within the forest, and how country living compares to city living. As someone who grew up in a log cabin in the woods, literally, I have never been a big fan of city noise, even in town noise, and it’s something that I find people who have never lived the other way rarely understand.

I love that Easton always looks for the logic behind things, and the obvious ways that they can fix/help without immediately thinking of supernatural mediums to try to combat problems. I thought that Easton’s tinnitus was a great boon to both this book and showcasing that there are lasting things after war that one cannot simply forget. On that note, while I would never wish it upon anyone, I greatly enjoyed the continued mention of Easton occasionally having soldier’s spells (PTSD in the real world) as it was quite accurately represented. I also loved how Easton’s bright mentality helped win the day.

I highly recommend the Sworn Soldier series to those who love gothic horror. I absolutely adore this series, and will admit that there are still times that the first book in the series whispers through my head. Great job, T. Kingfisher; I cannot wait for more!!

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

Review of Grimm Curiosities by Sharon Lynn Fisher

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Synopsis:
In Victorian England, a young woman inherits her father’s curiosity shop and all its ghostly secrets in a bewitching novel by the author of Salt & Broom.

It’s 1851 in old York. Lizzy Grimm struggles to save her late father’s charmingly creepy yet floundering antique shop, Grimm Curiosities. Then, during a particularly snowy December in this most haunted city in England, things turn…curiouser.

Lizzy meets Antony Carlisle, whose sister suffers from the same perplexing affliction as Lizzy’s mother—both stricken silent and unresponsive after speaking with ghosts. Working closely together to fathom what power has transformed their loved ones and why, Lizzy and Antony discover an important clue: her father’s treasured set of rare books on ancient folktales, enchantments, and yuletide myths. Books that a persistent collector is awfully keen to purchase. Books Lizzy can’t bear to sell.

Every bewitching passage and illustration opens a doorway to something ancient and dangerously inviting. Keys to a mystery Lizzy and Antony are compelled to solve—even if doing so means unleashing one of this bright holiday’s darkest myths.

Review:
“I think the most competent people are often the most critical of themselves.” (page 49)

I loved this book so very much! There is magic, holidays, and a mystery that doesn’t at all seem suspicious or connected to her family… until it is. I loved Lizzy and Antony together; they both get to be/act in a way that they can’t with others, which is such a great thing to have in friends/people who truly get you. It was great that this book was not just centralized around love; there was the definite idea that even though you may think of your situation and self as “other” there will always be some that can relate and be your friend. Not only did this book introduce so many different folklore concepts, but it showed the duality of all things and how there is always a good and bad. The ending of this book is absolutely perfect.

There is magic, there is mystery, there’s a brilliant slow burn romance. I highly recommend this to people who love fantasy/fairy tales, ghosts, and the peculiar. While I did read this in April, I highly recommend reading it in December as it is set around Christmas, and I think that would make it a much cozier time to read it, with snow everywhere. (I don’t want snow now; stay away snow!!)

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯