Tag: fantasy

March 2026–Part One:

March 15, 2026

Book #19:

Rose in Chains by Julie Soto (457 pages).  I own the gorgeous print version of this fantasy novel as the sprayed edges and gorgeous cover caught my eye at our local bookstore. This is set in Evermore, where 2 different worlds battle for power. Rose in chains refers to Briony Rosewood, the Princess of Evermore who is now imprisoned by Toven Hearst of the other kingdom. Mind and heart magic war here and play large roles in the plot. This is much more violent than many fantasy romances with rape occurring (off the page) and is very dark. However, none of it is exploitative and absolutely moves the plot forward. I absolutely want to read the next book of this trilogy (out December 2026) for sure as these characters are memorable and well-drawn. 4.5 stars.

Book #20:

The Sea Child by Linda Wilgus (Length: 291 pages). I picked this up because it was available at my local library and wow, am I glad I did! Set in the early 1800s in England, the young widow Isabel leaves London for a tiny shack on the coast in Cornwall, near where she was found as a 4-year-old orphan, dripping wet from the sea. With no memory of her parents or where she came from, Isabel was rescued by a wealthy couple and taken to London. After being newly married and losing her husband to the war, Isabel has no choice but to try to start over in a new community. This wonderful novel mixes bits of magical realism (think stories of mermaids/mermen) but the focus here is mostly on the smugglers who supply the community with the items that are heavily taxed to fund the war, and how those smugglers affect Isabel. This is very well-written, the plot is so much fun (although it takes a good 15% to get started) and is very memorable. 5 stars. LOVED!

Book #21:

Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser (Length: 341 pages).  If this stunning novel isn’t in my favorite top 5 books of 2026 I will be very surprised. This fairy tale fantasy novel turns the Cinderella tale on its head and is told from the point of view of the “wicked” stepmother. There’s falconry, the royal court, apple orchards, decaying estates . . . the background is so interesting here. But the interpersonal dynamics among all of the major players (the 3 daughters, the stepmother, the Prince, the Queen, the Queen’s advisor) are the best part of this fantastic novel. The plot is propulsive, the prose is rich without being stuffy, and this gorgeous book is absolutely unforgettable. This is the perfect beach read, if you can wait that long. 5 glorious stars from me.

Book #22:

The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw (Length: 189 pages). This is an award-winning collection of nine short stories all about the lives of black women and girls from four different generations. The author explores the divide between the expectations of the church and their own real lives and desires. The stories vary from a mistress listing the various rules she has for her male visitors to a young woman who falls for a pastor’s son, the same pastor who has taken her own mother on as a mistress. This is so well-written, engaging and interesting. I listened to these stories on audio and the narrator is fantastic!

September 2024–Part Two

September 30, 2024

Book #82:

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon (Length: 420 pages). I really enjoyed this historical fiction novel, and I generally don’t enjoy historical fiction. This novel is set during a six-month period in 1790 on the Kennebec River, and features a midwife, Martha Ballard, who has the real-life distinction of having delivered over 1,000 babies with not one mother lost in childbirth. I really loved this book. It’s immersive, beautifully told (aside from a few annoying grammatical errors such as “Breech” of contract) so the terrible editing aside, it’s a 5-star read. When I think about the book when I’m not reading it, that’s a great sign!  

Book #83:

Before She Was Found by Heather Gudenkauf (Length: 406 pages). I listened to this one on audio while doing puzzles and it was super easy to listen to, with decent audio production. This story features three 12-year-old girls who are by a railroad track late at night during a slumber party. One girl is brutally stabbed. The central mystery is who did it . . . was it the victim’s bullies, the town ghost who some claim to see around? This was a fun listen, and was harder to figure out the solution than many mysteries, which I appreciate. A solid 3.5 star read from me.

Book #84:

Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey (Length: 331 pages). Tis the Season for some witchy reads. I listened to this one and found the audio production to be good. The story itself was darker than I expected from the title. Ivy Gamble is a private investigator who is hired to solve a murder that occurred at the Osthorne Academy of Young Mages, a magical school of sorts where her estranged twin, Tabitha, teaches. The investigation that follows is well-plotted, as is the underlying mystery. Ivy herself is NOT a likeable character but the plot is propulsive, and this is an enjoyable read/listen. I enjoy campus novels and a bit of magic so those two things outweighed annoying Ivy.

Book #85:

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness (Length: 594 pages). This LONG book is super-fascinating and an enjoyable read. This is the first in a series (up to 5 books so far) and there’s a TV show based on these books, which I just started and I’m enjoying so far. The premise is Diana Bishop is a scholar (and a witch) and she finds a magical manuscript in Oxford’s famed Bodeleian Library. This discovery prompts an onslaught of magical creatures (other witches, demons and one very handsome vampire genealogist, Matthew Clairmont). 5 stars from me, but I DO think this could have been shorter. The ending isn’t a cliffhanger but definitely prompts you to want to pick up the next book in the series. (This reminds me a bit of the Outlander series in that regard).

Book #86:

We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker (Length: 369 pages). I adored his most recent book (All the Colors of the Dark, reviewed in July), so I was excited to grab this back-list novel by this talented author from the library. This novel is also very well-written and features a young protagonist here too. Duchess Radley, a 13-year-old who fancies herself an outlaw, and her young brother Robin live in Cape Haven, CA with their troubled single mother, Star. Star lost her younger sister in a tragic accident when they were growing up in the same town, and this loss has shaped Star’s life as well as the lives of her children and the townspeople. This novel features complicated characters and is quite dark in places, so it’s an intense read. But it’s so very worth it. I appreciated that the length of this novel isn’t as daunting as the author’s more recent read. A solid 5 stars from me.