T. Kingfisher is slowly becoming one of my favorite authors and is definitely one of the best I have found at writing dark fairy tale retellings. She T. Kingfisher is slowly becoming one of my favorite authors and is definitely one of the best I have found at writing dark fairy tale retellings. She does an incredible job twisting stories into her own. You may know the "Goose Girl" fairy tale going in but that doesn't mean you'll know what will happen here. I didn't want to stop listening to this book once I started. It was great in every single aspect.
The story follows both Cordelia and Hester. Cordelia is a fourteen-year-old who has been tortured by her mother her entire life. Her mother, Evangeline, is a sorceress who is used to getting what she wants and even takes control of her daughter's actions at times. Evangeline has decided she wants to get married to a wealthy man so that she can have a great fortune and get her daughter married too. She will do anything to get what she wants.
Hester is the intelligent sister of the Squire, whom Evangeline wants to marry. She sees right through Evangeline and knows she has to find a way to stop Evangeline from marrying her brother. Hester also wants to help Cordelia, whom she grows fond of.
I loved following both perspectives, but especially Hester. This is quite a dark story, but I loved the humor throughout. Most of this humor came from Hester's narration. She was so funny, along with many of her friends. I was surprised by how many times this had me laughing out loud. The wit of these characters is just top-notch. Also, her romance with one of the other characters was so sweet. I'm a sucker for a story like theirs.
Cordelia is a timid girl who is afraid of everything around her because of how her mother has treated her. It is hard to listen to this abuse, but it makes Cordelia's growth all the better. We watch her grow throughout the book with the love of her friends.
There is nothing I could say bad about this book other than the fact that I did not want it to end. Every character was so well fleshed out and came alive in the story. I also loved the side characters we had, such as Alice, Penelope, Imogene, Richard, and Wilfred.
I'm thankful I requested the audiobook ARC from NetGalley because it was perfect. Both narrators did a wonderful job creating each of the characters' voices and an eerie feeling with their narration. I highly recommend it. I'll definitely be adding this to my collection and will pick up anything T. Kingfisher writes. She has such a unique voice and is a talented author.
*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC of this book. All opinions are my own....more
I enjoyed this just about as much as the first. The fiction chapters of the book are great but they are just a small part along with the science aspecI enjoyed this just about as much as the first. The fiction chapters of the book are great but they are just a small part along with the science aspects. Some of the science/nonfiction parts of the book were quite interesting. I particularly enjoyed the discussions on storytelling, but the science parts definitely brought down the book for me. Definitely, don’t like when they cut into the plot.
I loved the addition of Shakespeare and his importance in the story. There are also many references to other Discworld books that I enjoyed....more
This book was an absolute joy. A perfect mix of fantastical creatures, magic, and mystery. The use of tI love how popular cozy fantasies have become.
This book was an absolute joy. A perfect mix of fantastical creatures, magic, and mystery. The use of the Regency era with fantasy was clever and had me wanting so much more from this world. I know I will be picking up K's other books in the future.
Also, I love how the narrator spoke directly to the reader. It's always fun when narration is played with in creative ways. The little bits of lore given before each chapter were great additions to the book along with the narrator's notes throughout the story. K made this world come alive in brilliant ways and created an enjoyable experience while doing so.
There were so many quotes I highlighted throughout the book which had me laughing out loud. I love clever humor. Perfect for fans of Jane Austen, who also love a great fantasy world.
*Thank you to the author for my ARC of the book. All opinions are my own.* ...more
I absolutely understand the hype with Brandon Sanderson’s books, now. This is one of the best fantasy novels I have ever read. Oftentimes when I read I absolutely understand the hype with Brandon Sanderson’s books, now. This is one of the best fantasy novels I have ever read. Oftentimes when I read a 1000 page book (even the ones I love), there are parts that feel like filler. Nothing felt like that at all in this novel.
It was interesting how Brandon chose to intersperse scenes from Kal’s childhood throughout the book, along with the present day scenes. Kal is probably my favorite of the main perspectives, but I did enjoy the others almost as much. I was surprised by how invested I was in the storyline with the bridge crew. They grew on me from the beginning and I love their familial dynamic.
My favorite character is definitely Wit. He’s the type of character I am always drawn to and I cannot wait to see more of him.
The Cosmere is an intriguing fantasy universe, that I want to get as much of as possible. Cannot wait to see what happens in the rest of the series and I’ll definitely be picking up all of Brandon’s other works. It took me too long to pick up this book or any of his books, but I will definitely be changing that during the rest of the year.
This is an incredibly written tale that is intricately woven together. ...more
This is the second magical book I have read that takes place in the New York Public Library. I love when books show the power of reading to younger reThis is the second magical book I have read that takes place in the New York Public Library. I love when books show the power of reading to younger readers. Also, how they make the library seem like a magical place, even when magical events are not occurring.
Christopher Lincoln’s illustrations are beautiful and I love how each page was stylized. Often times the illustrations continue out of the panels and onto the page, it made it a very interesting experience to look at along with reading. Christopher has written a story that I loved ever minute of.
The Night Librarian’s comp titles are The Land of Stories series and The Night at the Museum movies and that is definitely true. It also reminded me of the movie The Pagemaster. I highly recommend it to lovers of those stories and lovers of the written word. It is great for younger readers but older readers would enjoy it also. I know I did and I’m in my 30s. I’m always a sucker for a story where characters go in and out of books.
*Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for my copy of this book. All opinions are my own.*...more
An absolutely wonderful conclusion to the series. There so many clever references to books, movies, and other pieces of media that were cleverly wovenAn absolutely wonderful conclusion to the series. There so many clever references to books, movies, and other pieces of media that were cleverly woven into the plot of this book. They were a lot of fun to catch.
Kiranmala has grown quite a lot from the beginning of The Serpent’s Secret and I enjoyed watching her journey. I believe young readers will get a lot out of reading her story. Sayantani has made me want to read more Bengali stories, especially after reading the author’s note at the end of this book. So interesting! ...more
I love this series. There is a great mix of humor, Bengali stories, riddles, folktales, and science. I adore how family and friendships are the heart I love this series. There is a great mix of humor, Bengali stories, riddles, folktales, and science. I adore how family and friendships are the heart of Kiranmala's story along with the silly humor and the zany adventures. The Kingdom Beyond is such a beautifully descriptive world.
Game of Stars was so much better than the first, especially with the game show aspect. The riddles are enjoyable to figure out, and it is just a joy to follow along with Kiran as she tries to win the game show and save Neel.
One of the best parts of the book is how Kiran learns a lot about prejudice. There are many important scenes for young readers to read and learn from. Kiran sees how important it is not to judge others before you get to know them. I also loved the riddle with the witches, which reminded me of one of my favorite scenes from the movie Labryinth. This is such a great series to read, and I cannot wait to finish the third book and see what happens next....more
The Suffering Game was my most anticipated book of 2024. I was lucky enough to get to read it a couple of months early thanks to the publisher. I’ve bThe Suffering Game was my most anticipated book of 2024. I was lucky enough to get to read it a couple of months early thanks to the publisher. I’ve been eagerly waiting for this volume ever since The Eleventh Hour came out last year and it was well worth the wait. This still has some of the humor of the other volumes but is getting much more heavy hitting. We found out a lot about the Bureau, the Director, and what is actually going on.
Taako, Magnus, and Merle travel into a game called Wonderland, which is a carnival of torments. They are trying to win the next of the Grand Relics, the Animus Bell. The Director has sent them there to retrieve it and has also warned them of the dangers of Wonderland. To get further in the games, they have to each give up something important to them or part of themselves.
This was a great volume in this series and I cannot wait to see what will occur in the next arc. Taako, Magnus, Merle, and the rest of the characters in this series are dynamic and I love learning more about them with each story. The McElroys have done an incredible job with this series. Every time I read another one of the graphic novels, I want to listen to the podcast. Also, these books are stunning to look at along with reading them. I highly recommend The Adventure Zone graphic novels.
*Thank you very much to the publisher and Netgalley for my ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. *...more
I enjoyed following Bluebear on his journey during his first 13 1/2 lives. This is an utterly ridiculous zany adventure that draws you into the world I enjoyed following Bluebear on his journey during his first 13 1/2 lives. This is an utterly ridiculous zany adventure that draws you into the world of Zamonia. The formatting was also quite interesting and I loved the illustration style.
The entries from Professor Abdullah Nightingale’s Encyclopedia were welcome additions to the overall tale. They had me laughing many times when Bluebear would get angry at the useful pieces of information he received from it, often too late for him to use. Hilarious. Reminiscent of Terry Pratchett's snarky humor.
I was recommended this book over 12 years ago because of my love for The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and I can see the comparison to Douglas Adam's writing. Zany and silly humor fill this story. It is a joy to read most of the time.
Bluebear's adventures also reminded me of the way Kvothe in The Name of the Wind tells the story of his life. You wonder how much of the story Bluebear is telling is the truth or if he is making it up for the reader. The journey gets taller as Bluebear continues on with his tale. It makes you want to keep reading to see what else could happen to him and his companions. Though, I will say this book could have been shortened. It definitely doesn't need to be over 700 pages.
My favorite part of this story was learning about the world of Zamonia and I look forward in continuing on with the series. I don't know where it will go from here, but I'm highly intrigued....more
John Hendrix’s The Mythmakers blends prose, images, and narrative comics as it chronicles the lives of two literary greats, C.S. Lewis & J.R.R. TolkieJohn Hendrix’s The Mythmakers blends prose, images, and narrative comics as it chronicles the lives of two literary greats, C.S. Lewis & J.R.R. Tolkien. It not only focuses on their Fellowship but also goes into details about their early lives, inspirations, how they were affected by fighting in WWI, their friendship, and many other aspects of their lives. I knew I had to pick up this beauty as soon as I saw it on NetGalley because of my great love for both authors. Hendrix does a wonderful job using this medium to tell his story and I loved the use of Mr. Lion and The Wizard, who are takes on Aslan and Gandalf.
Along with the information on both authors, Hendrix also has what he calls Portals, which discuss other information such as myth and fairy tales. These sections were great extras that added to the overall experience of the book. I did not read them until the end but they can also be read during your reading experience because of the pages numbers telling you where to go (similar to a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure story).
I highly recommend this book to fans of both authors. It was an incredible read that was informative, enjoyable, and heartwarming at times. I know I would have loved this book when I was younger and first reading from both of their fantasy worlds. Definitely, would love to see more books like this for other fantasy authors, such as L. Frank Baum, Lewis Carroll, etc. The Mythmakers will be joining my collection along with my Narnia and The Lord of the Rings series. Cannot wait to see the beautiful illustrations in color.
*Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.*...more
An absolutely wonderful read for Star Wars Day. Ian Doescher did such a great job adapting Star Wars into Shakespearean language. I cannot wait to reaAn absolutely wonderful read for Star Wars Day. Ian Doescher did such a great job adapting Star Wars into Shakespearean language. I cannot wait to read the rest of the series now. ...more
I highly enjoyed the Discworld novella that played out throughout this book. It was one of my favorites we have gotten of the wizards besides what theI highly enjoyed the Discworld novella that played out throughout this book. It was one of my favorites we have gotten of the wizards besides what they do in Hogfather. This reminded me a bit of some of the later books in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy where Arthur experiences Earth from the past. I enjoyed looking at the beginnings of the “Roundworld” from the perspective of the wizards and how they compared it to their own world. Terry has so many clever observations as he always does in his books. I do look forward to reading more about their experiments with the Roundworld.
The scientific parts of the book were okay. I did not like how it cut into the Discworld story, often interrupting in the middle of a scene. Terry never had chapter breaks and many times this became a hindrance in this book because it would cut off in the middle of what was going on. I loved the parts about the dinosaurs and some of the others.
I will be picking up further books in this series because I want to see more of the wizards interacting with the “Roundworld.” ...more
An absolutely wonderful cozy fantasy novel with a beautiful audiobook. I have wanted to read this book ever since I first saw the cover and read the bAn absolutely wonderful cozy fantasy novel with a beautiful audiobook. I have wanted to read this book ever since I first saw the cover and read the blurb. Kiela is definitely one of my new favorite characters of the year, along with her sentient spiderplant, Caz. He brings so much humor to the book. Kiela is a character I related to on many levels, especially as an introvert. I loved following along with her as she connected with the residents of the island.
The small town vibes were perfect. The townspeople were so welcoming and I just could not get enough of them. Also, Kiela’s love interest, Larran made it even better. This was definitely a slow-burn romance but I enjoyed every interaction between them both. Kiela is not used to being around people and is afraid of getting too close to anyone on the island. Lorne never takes it to heart. It was beautiful watching them fall for each other.
I am beyond glad I decided to read this novel and will definitely be adding it to my collection. Another found family story that stole my heart. I hope Sarah will return to this world again. I would love new adventures and to see even more of these characters. This was a story I would have loved to fall into and live in.
*Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.*...more
Castle Swimmer is such a beautiful graphic novel with an interesting storyline. I remember finding it on Webtoons a couple of years ago and read what Castle Swimmer is such a beautiful graphic novel with an interesting storyline. I remember finding it on Webtoons a couple of years ago and read what was out at that time, which was not even this entire volume. I never continued on with it for some reason though, but I will be now.
The illustration style stands out and drew me in instantly. I like how the story is playing with the idea of prophecies and chosen one stories. It definitely is making me wonder where the story is going to go from here with Kappa and Siren. I have to continue it on Webtoons so I can see what happens next.
I highly recommend this wonderful start to this series.
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.* ...more
I have been wanting to read this book for quite awhile but wanted to wait until I could listen to the version read by David Tennant. David does a greaI have been wanting to read this book for quite awhile but wanted to wait until I could listen to the version read by David Tennant. David does a great job narrating the story and creating voices for each of the characters. He will always be one of my favorite audiobook narrators.
The book was not as enjoyable as I wanted it to be but I’m glad I finally finished Terry’s first book. It definitely feels like an early Terry Pratchett novel. You can feel his signature wit and style coming through. It reminds me of his many short stories from his collections, which makes sense because this was started around the time he first penned those stories (when he was 17 years old).
If you want to read this book, I recommend picking up David Tennant’s version. His narration is great....more
I almost stopped reading this after a couple of the stories, but decided to keep going. There were a few that I liked quite a bit, though most of themI almost stopped reading this after a couple of the stories, but decided to keep going. There were a few that I liked quite a bit, though most of them were not for me at all. I was looking forward to more adventures with Gert and was thinking this would be much better than it was. I don’t recommend picking this up....more
I have been wanting a Narnia-like adult book for so many years and could not believe when I heard about this beauty. Portal fantasy stories are some oI have been wanting a Narnia-like adult book for so many years and could not believe when I heard about this beauty. Portal fantasy stories are some of my absolute favorites. I was ecstatic when I was given an ARC of The Lost Story. This was an absolute delight of a read! It felt like a fairy-tale for adults especially with the writing style. Meg Shaffer has created a world I wish I could travel to and I hope she will return to it eventually. This is a wonderful fantasy story with a focus on friendship, love, and the act of storytelling.
I loved the framing device for this book and how the narrator kept giving commentary. It’s enjoyable having a narrator who is a character in the story being told and finding out who they are eventually during the plot. Also, I enjoyed the LGBT representation.
I highly recommend this beauty to fans of portal fantasy or fantasy books in general. It is definitely a favorite of the year for me.
*I received an ARC for review purposes. All opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher. ...more
It’s great having the young Gert back in this volume. Made me think of the old volumes in many ways and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens aftIt’s great having the young Gert back in this volume. Made me think of the old volumes in many ways and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens after the ending. I love returning to this world again....more
It’s always a joy to read another Terry Pratchett short story collection. He had a style so distinctly his own that I love getting into every time. ThIt’s always a joy to read another Terry Pratchett short story collection. He had a style so distinctly his own that I love getting into every time. These are another great set of his fantasy stories. Many are ones that are clearly ideas he turned into other stories or took concepts further in the future. I love the whole story behind this collection. The audiobook is great and read by many different actors, actresses, authors, family, and friends of Terry. I love that they had his daughter read one of them. Beautiful. ...more
I adored this interwoven Asian-based story with all my heart. It follows three different timelines of two men whose lives have been intertwined for ceI adored this interwoven Asian-based story with all my heart. It follows three different timelines of two men whose lives have been intertwined for centuries. We follow them through 4 BCE, 1740, and present-day Los Angeles. Slowly, along with the characters, we learn how they are connected to each other. Their romance was both beautiful and heartbreaking. It was quite hard to read at times because their love is quite destructive and painful. I’m a sucker for a tragic love affair, especially ones that make me cry. Add stunning writing and fantastical aspects to make a book I couldn’t get enough of.
Reincarnation stories have always drawn me in, and I knew I had to read this beauty as soon as I found it. It was intriguing trying to figure out who was who in the different time periods. I’m glad we kept going back and forth between each of them, and loved seeing how all the pieces fit together to tell their story. It felt like a puzzle, and I enjoyed how their identities were not always obvious.
There were times I did not want one of the perspectives to switch to the next time period. I wanted to continue with what was happening next instead of going to another time. Then, I would get completely hooked on the next one. It became a cycle I enjoyed every minute of.
This book will not be for everybody, but it has everything I could have wanted from this type of story. It took me about fifty pages to get into it, and then I didn’t want it to end. Also, I enjoyed looking into the historical aspects of this story. The emperor and Dong Xian are based on historical figures from Chinese history, and I like how the sleeve is a part of their story. So interesting.
I highly recommend picking up Justinian Huang’s The Emperor and the Endless Palace. I will be adding it to my home library. Huang’s writing was beautiful, and I cannot wait to pick up more of his work in the future. Here’s hoping for more from this world.
*I received an ARC for review purposes. All opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher....more
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