#bookspotlight: Finding God in Anime: A devotional for otakus

Being a Christian can be tough. Being an otaku can be tough. But being both at once?

Sometimes it seems easier to become Hokage rather than explaining your faith and passions to others. That is why we otaku have united in this devotional: To encourage otaku like you spiritually and through a medium we all cherish.

In this devotional, you will find God in the animes you know and love. Each devotional presents spiritual lessons found in animes ranging from the world-famous Attack on Titan to fan-favorite Haikyu!! to beloved classics like Cowboy Bebop. Each piece will feature a different theme such as:

• Human Will vs. The Holy Spirit in Yona of the Dawn
• Choosing to be Free in Free! Swim Club
• Not by My Might in My Hero Academia

…and many others! We believe that God can be seen throughout His creation—even in places where people might not intend! So pull out your cosplay and snuggle close with your plushies as you join us in Finding God in Anime.

Amazon | Other Book Retailers

About the Organizers

Laura and Moriah’s life consists of giving each other manga recommendations until they see whose TBR pile will fall on them first. Rest assured they're both still safe...until another manga releases. In the meantime, they enjoy sharing beautiful pictures of Japan and trying to make each other laugh with anime memes. They both have an appreciation for cute stickers, samurai, and pins. If they're not chatting about all things otaku, you can find them trying to write their next story or surviving on ramen and pocky after their latest manga order.

Manga Photo Challenge on Instagram

Celebrate the release of Finding God in Anime by participating in the manga photo challenge on Instagram! During the month of June, the organizers will be spotlighting a variety of manga that have had an anime adaptation by showcasing them using #MangaFestival in their posts. Each title prompt is an anime that is featured in the devotional. Grab your favorite manga and get ready to celebrate!

#bookreview: Strength (The Legacy Chronicles 2) | Lauren Salisbury

Strength by Lauren H. Salisbury
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ok, so this book. I'm all set to start reading Discernment (book 3) so I look it up on GR and then I go eh, how come I didn't review book 2???
Grab a copy and start reading and go... BUT WAIT I HAVE READ THIS. WHY DID I NOT REVIEW IT?
[Then I realise when I got to the acknowledgements that I probably didn't review it because I beta read it and then I forgot lol]

That doesn't change my opinion that this is a brilliant, brilliant book.

If you've ever wondered what happens between the time when the Pharoah's daughter adopts baby Moses and then he goes out and murders an Egyptian guard before running away, Salisbury's wonderful reimagining does a lot to fill in the gaps. Remember though, that this is (no longer baby) MOSES IN SPACE so obviously, not Egyptian, not earth.

Strength covers Moses' teenage years. Mahsan has grown up an outcast in the Esaralian cruiser - and his only friends are really his mother, Reemah, and her two friends, Velay and Selah. He reaches that age where he really wants to know about his birth family - and defies his mother to do so, and then gets into all kinds of trouble, where he has to flee. I mean, that's the bare bones. You know how the Bible story goes.

But Salisbury's writing focuses on the women surrounding Moses, so where Courage focused on Gilla, Mahsan's birth mother, Strength focuses on Ra'hos Reemah, the Esaralian princess who defies all court and social conventions to adopt a human son. I love the strength that she shows in standing up for her son, even if that means curbing her own wild and adventurous nature, and becoming somewhat of an outcast herself so that Mahsan can grow up just like the pure-blooded Esaralians, with all their advantages.

There's political intrigue, of course, and help from unexpected quarters, including just a little bit of romance.

I love it and am excited to go on to read Discernment!!

View all my reviews

DISCERNMENT RELEASES TODAY! BUY NOW!

Amok: Surprise Lockdown Launch! Get your copy now!

In light of Malaysia’s not-so-surprising Total Lockdown, Teaspoon Publishing has pushed up the release date of Amok for a surprise lockdown launch!

Yes, Amok ebooks drop on 1 June* as so that you can hunker down in your house and entertain yourself with a great read—and everyone else gets to benefit! We'll still honour our launch prices, so our ebook preorder prices of RM12 / USD2.99 will remain until the 23rd of June and will rise to RM20 / USD4.99 on 24 June.

BUY LINKS:

Amazon | Other Retailers | Teaspoon Publishing 

* Some retailers might release it on 2 June.

***

What is faith, except hope in desperation?

All Putera Mikal wants is to gain the Amok Strength, the supernatural power granted by Kudus to the Mahan royal family. No matter how religiously Mikal keeps his vows, Kudus still denies him the Strength—whilst his father, Sultan Simson, flaunts the Strength despite his blatant defiance of the Temple and the priests’ visions of coming doom.

Then the prophecies come true.

Taken captive, Mikal must find a way to liberate his people and restore his throne in Maha—and the key to this is the Amok Strength. But what does it take to gain Kudus’ favour?

***

But paperbacks!

If you’ve preordered a local paperback from Teaspoon Publishing and/or still want to order one, we’re also maintaining the preorder price of RM35 until we actually have the printed books in hand. We'll also sweeten the deal by sending you an ebook copy to keep you occupied until the paperback finally gets printed.

For our overseas friends, we’re currently in the process of approving paperback editions via Amazon’s POD and IngramSpark, so you’ll be able to get that once the book goes live at totally random times during the month! (You can tell we’re just winging it right now, can’t you?)

Bonus content!

And while we're at it, send a screenshot of your Amok purchase receipt (whether ebook or paperback) to admin@teaspoonpublishing.com.my by 24 June to claim a free copy of The Painted Hall Collection! Just tell us if you’d like it in e-pub or mobi.


Happy reading!

Stay safe, stay home, and get vaccinated.

#LindungiDiriLindungiSemua

#musicmonday: It's Always Been You | Phil Wickham

You saw me first
You let me in when I was at my worst
The moment when I heard You say my name
It's the first time in so long I'm not afraid
I'm not afraid

You are the voice that calms the storm inside me
Castle walls that stand around me
All this time, my guardian was You
You are the light that shines in every tunnel
There in the past, You'll be there tomorrow
All my life, Your love was breaking through

It's always been You
It's always been You

My northern star
Your love will be the compass of my heart
Oh, I just want to be right where You are
Right where You are

You are the voice that calms the storm inside me
Castle walls that stand around me
All this time, my guardian was You
You are the light that shines in every tunnel
There in the past, You'll be there tomorrow
All my life, Your love was breaking through

It's always been You
And it's always been You
It's always been You
It's always been You

Who stood with me in the fire?
It was You, it was always You
Who pulled me out of the water?
It was You, it was always You
And who carried me on their shoulders?
It was You, I know it's You, You

You are the voice that calms the storm inside me
Castle walls that stand around me
All this time, my guardian was You
You are the light that shines in every tunnel
There in the past, You'll be there tomorrow
All my life, Your love was breaking through

It's always been You
And it's always been You
It's always been You
It's always been You
It's always been You

***

If Mikal had a theme song by the end of Amok, this would be it. 

***

Amazon | Other ebook retailers | Teaspoon Publishing (paperbacks)

#bookreview: In Real Life | Elisabeth Warner

 This is a slightly delayed book review because I was distracted on Wednesday by AstraZeneca pit fights and on Thursday by client's who cannot tech or English. 

In Real Life by Elisabeth Warner

I'm not going to give this a star rating because I was involved in critiquing this story, so that doesn't seem quite fair.

In Real Life is set in a near dystopian future - the United States of America has isolated itself and built its own Internet where they are safe from terrorists, religion, and the rest of the world. But then the Internet shuts down, USA is thrown into disarray, and Lin has to rediscover how to live life without her AI assistant, Tobi, handling everything from her household appliances and her schedules to her very life. When patrol officers take her mother away for questionable social media activity, she has to figure out if she can trust the one person she has raged against for the past five years: her ex-husband, Don.

In Real Life is very much about hope. Hope when things turn dark, when nothing in life seems to make sense. It's also about forgiveness, and faith, and finding Jesus. Yes, it's an explicitly Christian book, so there's some preaching involved - if you don't like come-to-Jesus moments, this probably isn't the right book for you, though it is relatively light, short, and 100% story/plot appropriate.

A strong theme is also about making connections - or re-making them in some cases - and about rebuilding your life from the shambles it has become. And how community helps you do that in many ways, whether it's being a sounding board when you're worried, helping you let go of the past, or supporting you despite your failures.

View all my reviews

BUY IN REAL LIFE NOW!

#CoverReveal: Amok

EVERYONE! IT'S AMOK'S COVER REVEAL DAY!

What is faith, except hope in desperation?

All Putera Mikal wants is to gain the Amok Strength, the supernatural power granted by Kudus to the Mahan royal family. No matter how religiously Mikal keeps his vows, Kudus still denies him the Strength—whilst his father, Sultan Simson, flaunts the Strength despite his blatant defiance of the Temple and the priests’ visions of coming doom.

Then the prophecies come true.

Taken captive, Mikal must find a way to liberate his people and restore his throne in Maha—and the key to this is the Amok Strength. But what does it take to gain Kudus’ favour?

***

Amok releases in one month, on 24 June 2021, but you can preorder your copy now!

  

Amazon | Teaspoon Publishing

***

Love the cover? Check out our cover artist's website for more: Jiwosophy

Jiwo also explains his process in this thread:

@natzers approached me to illustrate and design the Cover for her "Absolution" Series, starting with the 1st of the trilogy, "Amok". Here's a thread documenting the creation process from beginning to completion.@teaspoonpub #CoverReveal #coverart #bookcover pic.twitter.com/SMdKxdUmYy

— jiwosophy (@jiwosophy) May 24, 2021

***

About the Author (aka me!)

Anna Tan grew up in Malaysia, the country that is not Singapore. She is interested in Malay/Nusantara and Chinese legends and folklore in exploring the intersection of language, culture, and faith.

Anna has an MA in Creative Writing: The Novel under a Chevening scholarship and is the President of the Malaysian Writers Society. She can be found tweeting as @natzers and forgetting to update annatsp.com.

Find her online: Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

***

Visit other stops on the Cover Reveal! Their posts will be going live throughout the day, so I'll update the links as and when I see them. But you can go ahead and see all their other bookish posts too :)

C.O. Bonham

Moments For My Thoughts

Sholee's Sphere

Mermaird | Mermaird on Instagram!

a Sith reader

Runalong The Shelves

H. L. Burke | burkesdragons

L.A. Thornhill

Kara J Lovett

Jason Joyner

Abigail Falanga

#musicmonday: Make Room | Community Music

Here is where I lay it down 

Every burden every crown 

This is my surrender 

This is my surrender 

Here is where I lay it down 

Every lie and every doubt 

This is my surrender 

And I’ll make room for you 

To do whatever you want to 

Do whatever you want to 

Shake up the ground of all my tradition 

Breakdown the walls of all my religion 

Your way is better 

Your way is better 

Here is where I lay it down 

You are all I’m chasing now 

This is my surrender

---

CCLI #7122057 | Evelyn Heideriqui, Josh Farro, Lucas Cortazio, and Rebekah White © 2018 | Praise, Supplication, Surrender, Worship Mike Curb Music, FYWBTG Publishing, A New Song For A New Day Music, Father Of Lights Publishing

Join the #AmokNovel Cover Reveal and Release Tour!

OKAY okay okaaaayyyy.

So I'm finalising the cover and I'm SO EXCITED to share it with you! And I'd like to get you excited along with me!

If you'd like to join my cover reveal party and online launch tour, here's where you can sign up! 

In the meantime, check out Jiwosophy's website! 

#bookreview: KL Noir: Magic | edited by Deric Ee

KL NOIR: MAGIC by Deric Ee

I'll forgo the star rating on this one, mostly because it felt pretty evident that Noir is still not my thing, so I'd hardly give a fair rating.

There's a level of magical realism to most of the stories (hello, supernatural Malaysia) here that made the anthology more palatable to me as a whole than some of the earlier books in the KL Noir series. On the other hand, there's also a level of obliqueness to quite a few stories that makes for a rather overall 'eh' feeling for me.

As of now, here's a short list of stories I really enjoyed:
Dastar - Sukhbir Cheema - THIS!!! This is the one story I would read over and over again. I would probably recommend you buy this anthology just for this story.
The Radio - Lily Jamaludin - This was a great start to the book, actually. Simple, understated.
Tooth and Consequences - Terence Toh - lol Terence, as usual, starts off dark and grim and then goes in unexpected directions. (Looking forward to TOYOLS 'R' US)
Pontianak, Risen - Nadia Mikail
Jaga Diri, Jaga Hati - Hong Jinghann
We Are Young - Joshua Lim - I don't know if I really "enjoyed" this, but it did stand out.

View all my reviews

#musicmonday: Nothing Without You | Will Reagan, United Pursuit

 

When I am tired and weak

Lord, will you carry me?

And when I'm feeling low

Hold me close

When I am tired and weak

Lord, will you carry me?

When I am broken in two

Pull me through

#Flights2021 live tweet notes embed [closed 19/4]

Doing a mix of taking notes and tweeting, so am going to embed the start of my live tweets so I can find them again myself. 

It should be noted that these are my interpretations of what has been said (as processed and condensed at time of tweeting) & not verbatim notes. Hopefully, I do not misrepresent what any of them said! 

The Ingredients of a Breakthrough Short Story:

The Ingredients of a Breakthrough Short Story:
Mod: Coral Moore
Panel: Eliana Ugarte, Ande Dudak, Salik Shah, Valerie Valdes
Starting with intros and a short story they loved. #BreakthroughShorts #flights2021

— Anna Tan (@natzers) April 17, 2021

Publishing outside the US

Alright, next up is #PubOutsideUS with Darusha Wehm, Kat Clay, Zhui Ning Chang, Sascha Stronach.#Flights2021

— Anna Tan (@natzers) April 17, 2021

Beyond the Western Lens

#BeyondWesternLens is moderated by Phong Quan (PQ), with speakers Ng Yi-Sheng (NYS), Zhui Ning Chang (ZNC), and Yudhanjaya Wijeratne (YW).#Flights2021

— Anna Tan (@natzers) April 17, 2021

Short Stories are Not Baby Novels

May or may not be awake enough for Short Stories are Not Baby Novels with Jaymee Goh, Erin Roberts, Todd Sanders, Jose Pablo Iriarte and SB Divya in a couple of minutes. #NotBabyNovels #Flights2021

— Anna Tan (@natzers) April 17, 2021

Sensitivity Reading as Developmental Editing

Alright! Next is Sensitivity Reading as Developmental Editing which has a really long hashtag: #DevEditsAsSensitivityReads

Nicasio Reed (NR), Zhui Ning Chang (ZNC), Marlee Jane Ward (MJW), Yilin Wang (YW).#Flights2021

— Anna Tan (@natzers) April 18, 2021

How to Give and Receive Critiques Like the Best

And so my super super last #Flights2021 session is How to Give and Receive Critiques like the best, and I am up and awake and have had breakfast. #GoodCritique.
Mod: Cliff Winnig (CW)
Panel: Monte Lin (ML), Jane Funk (JF), Rashida Smith (RS)

— Anna Tan (@natzers) April 19, 2021

#bookreview: Of Kindness and Kilowatts | Susan Kaye Quinn

Of Kindness and Kilowatts by Susan Kaye Quinn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Ok, first up, I feel kind of mean that this is only a 3 star? But it is what it is. [It's a very personal-reason rating though, as in I liked it but not SUPER liked it mainly cos there was too much physics in it haha]

We're moving up the ladder in this series, where the problem of shady bosses in When You Had Power and nasty power outages in You Knew the Price have escalated to reach Southern California's Public Utilities Commissioner, Akemi Sato. Is this threat real? Or is the Regional Director going off the rails? In a pandemic? (Well, a new virus outbreak anyway.)

I feel like Of Kindness and Kilowatts suffers from "second book syndrome" (even though it's the third), where the strong buildup from the first two books have reached a bit of a plateau. There's a lot of physics in this one (which went a little over my head) and they make some cool (and disturbing) discoveries, but the tension isn't as high as the previous one, and it feels more plotty (idk if this is a word, but it now is). But you gotta get through this one to get to the final book, Yet You Cry When It Hurts!

Relationship wise, this one focuses on Akemi and his relationship with his estranged father, Dai - which again was personally not as relatable for me as the themes of found family and community were in the first two books.

Plus points: it has tea! <3

Note: I received a digital ARC of this book from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

View all my reviews

The Nothing is Promised series:

#bookreview: Slow Brewing Tea | Randy Loubier

Slow Brewing Tea by Randy Loubier
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

80% of why I picked this up was the title; the other 20% was because well, it did sound intriguing.
To be honest, when I started reading, I wavered between "I hope he does it well" and "how terrible can this get?"

Loubier does quite well in the beginning. Itsuki's teachings start off mysterious and enticing, wrapped in Japanese sayings and Taoist words (I don't know how accurate this is) - though if you've been a long time Christian, it's obvious that it has a Christian source, no matter what other trappings are added to it. There's a tension in Isaiah's search for God - his reactions and anger come from a place of truth. I'm sure many who have been hurt by the church can relate.

As you proceed through the story, however, and Itsuki's teaching gets clearer and more explicit, the narrative itself starts to get just a little too preachy - especially during, you know, the expected conversion scene. (Is this a spoiler? It can't be a spoiler - it's key to every Christian fiction.) I suppose, as a pastor, Loubier didn't quite manage to stop from sermonising just a little. It IS, however, a story about coming to faith - so it's not anything unexpected or anything that might blindside you.

I suppose if you like a little dose of apologetics with your fiction, this is the sort of thing that you'll like. I think it will appeal more to those who are already Christians or people who are struggling with faith & the church. It was just a tad to slow (lol) and on-the-nose for me to truly enjoy it.

Note: I received a digital ARC of this book via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

View all my reviews

#bookreview: Future Perfect | Felicia Yap

Future Perfect by Felicia Yap
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

On 8 June 2030, iPredict informs Police Commissioner Christian Verger that he has a 99.74% chance of dying tomorrow. A model was blown up at Alexander King's fashion show in New York City yesterday, the same show that's going to be at Old Billingsgate tonight - and he has to find the killer in time to make sure it doesn't happen again. Of course, this just has to happen on the day his fiancee leaves him.

Yap keeps you guessing with each new revelation that comes to light. Three different people tell three different stories of the same event. Viola's program, CriminalX, is spitting out results that don't make sense. Everyone has secrets to hide - but are they secrets worth killing for? Will Christian be able to pull the answers - and himself- together in time to prevent another death from happening? Is he even looking in the right place? Is this a helpful clue? Or is this another misdirection?

Future Perfect is not just a crime thriller, though. Yap explores the impact of technology on our lives, taking trends in tech and pushing it forward ten years to a plausible future. Alexa not only manages the household, it also directs Christian's & Viola's lives even when they don't want it to. Predictions of the future become self-fulfilling when the tech themselves make it happen because it was predicted. Only people who have something to hide use cash. And maybe, just maybe, software can be programmed to be creative enough to create art, denying the need for humanity's creative eye and spark.

With a deft hand, Yap brings you through a harrowing day as told from four main perspectives: Verger, his fiancee Viola, the designer Alexander King, and an unnamed person from the past whose story may be the key to unravelling this dense web of lies. And haunting them all is the spectre of another dead model, the same one Xander is dedicating his show to.

Future Perfect is just... perfect.

Note: I received a digital ARC of this book via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

View all my reviews

#musicmonday: So Afraid | Bebo Norman

That's not what you said
It's all in my head
And I throw my anger at you instead
So don't give up on me
I want to believe
That you'll never leave me

But I am so afraid
That I'll find myself alone
Looking for a saviour, looking for a home
I am so afraid
That I'll find myself alone
Deep into the ages, deep into the foam
I am so afraid
That I'll find myself alone

Looking for a saviour, looking for a home

So don't leave me here alone
Don't leave me here alone

On Publishing: How do you do it?

I met up with a secondary school classmate last Sunday for high tea. Meeting up was great, the high tea was so-so (real British high tea has spoilt me, sigh). 

We talked about various things, but one of the things that came up, as it tends to do nowadays, was the question "how do you do it?" in relation to the confidence of getting your work out there, and self-publishing - or at least that's how I've been thinking about it this past week. 

And the answer is... 

I don't. 

I don't have confidence.

I just do it because I am tired of waiting, and tired of begging, and dammit it's time, and THIS THING IS GOING OUT SCREAMING AND YELLING. 

And then I hide in my room because I'm 100% sure that everyone will hate it, but it's out there, and it's DONE. And I just want it done. 

Is it the best reason to self-publish?

Probably not. 

But this thing is as ready as it will ever be. 

Click image for more info! 

Oh God, grant me the confidence of the mediocre white man.

#bookreview: Songs of Insurrection | JC Kang

Songs of Insurrection by J.C. Kang
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Princess Wang Kaiya is just a pawn. The foreign (and very handsome) Prince Hardeep Vaswani wants her to wield her new-found magic to save his beloved country, Ankira. Her father needs to marry her off to the right noble to stabilise Cathay and his grip on the throne. What can a sixteen-year-old still learning to use her powers do in the face of such confusing politics and constantly-shifting allegiances? Are her powers even real?

I'd put this at something like a 3.5, honestly, because there are some bits that I liked quite a lot, but others that I didn't so much.

Kaiya is young and female in a very misogynistic culture, which also means she is underestimated once she learns of her magic and starts standing up for what is right. She's well-educated, but very inexperienced and awkward, making her the underdog in this story. You come to root for her despite her very stupid decisions because of the strength of her convictions and good intentions. I'm not quite a fan of this instalove or puppy crush thing she has on Hardeep, though I suppose it's... understandable? Maybe? (Mark this down as I'm-too-old-for-this-shit) Personally, my verdict is that she's stupid, but not Too Stupid To Live. Part of this is also the third person POV, I think, which gives a more balanced perspective to her actions and reasoning plus also makes it pretty clear when she's blatantly being manipulated without her realising it.

The politics of Cathay are complex. There's the Mandate of Heaven to think of, repercussions of Hellstorm if the Emperor were to renege on an agreement sworn on the imperial plaque. The neighbouring countries of Madura and Ankira are fighting in the South, rebellion fermenting in the North, and the Tianzi needs to balance all of that while keeping the hereditary Lords happy. Which means compromise. And bribes. And marrying off the princess for political gain. There's a bureaucracy to appease and the military to pacify. All of which makes for pretty dense politics for Kaiya to navigate without proper training.

No, actually, I think Kaiya's part of the politics were easier to read than what Zheng Tien and Yan Jie, agents of the Black Lotus Clan, start uncovering. There's so much underhanded dealing (Bribes! Murder! Betrayal! Weird business deals!) that I got a little cross-eyed and skimmed a little (Sorry, bad reading habit). I think there was a point where some goods were substituted for other goods and if you trace these goods you'll find out who was rebelling and who was betraying who and then I couldn't remember what goods were from what province so I just moved on.

Some content warnings might be necessary, I suppose.
- One of Kaiya's suitors is known to torture women, and there is a brief scene of sorts. (Not graphic, but a little unsettling.)
- The concept/typology of the Bovyan might offend some Christians, though they're mentioned only very briefly in the story itself. (It was a "lol, what?" moment for me)
- The misogyny and racism of the culture are never directly addressed. Some offhand statements which come across as insulting, while true to the culture/worldbuilding, are not dealt with/addressed within the story.

Still, it was overall quite an interesting read.

Note: I received a digital ARC of this book from Dragonstone Press via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

View all my reviews

#bookreview: The Second Bell | Gabriela Houston

The Second Bell by Gabriela Houston
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Salka is a striga who has spent all her life suppressing her second heart, which, if given any power, would turn her into an evil monster. It's their way of life, and the only way to keep their community safe. But when Salka is sent away, it comes down to a matter of survival: continue starving the monster and die or finally tap into her striga nature and live.

The Second Bell is a story of choices - not just the choices Salka has to make, but how the choices of others in their community have direct and lingering impact on her life. As Salka is forced into increasingly limited and difficult choices, she needs to decide if she will continue living within the boundaries of the community that has sheltered her so far, or if she should strike out and make a new way for herself.

This brings us to the question of nature versus nurture. In the striga village, the conventional wisdom is to starve the second heart, the source of both power and evil; yet the most experienced at - and legalistic about - starving their second heart turn out to be those whose choices cause the most harm to others. Are all strigas evil just because they have a second heart? Or is it what they do with the power that they are born with that makes them dark? What if Salka's experience is something totally different? And what if there was a way to tap on to that power and still remain good?

What is the balance between personal responsibility for your actions and the sinful nature of a person?

The story starts off well - Chapter 1 draws you into the history of Heyne Town, Salka's birth, and the stigma around strigas, then jumps 19 years into the future in Chapter 2 to see Salka all grown up. However, Chapters 3 - 6 hits you with a choppy series of POVs that read like a series of short stories that are somewhat related to the plot but not quite. Houston seems to hit her stride around Chapter 7 - whilst we still get multiple points of view, they start to flow together in a cohesive narrative to its heart-wrenching end.

Overall, The Second Bell is an enchanting and thoughtful read.

Note: I received a digital ARC of this book from Angry Robot via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

View all my reviews

#musicmonday: Yesus Memegangku | Symphony Worship

#bookreview: You Knew the Price | Susan Kaye Quinn

You Knew the Price by Susan Kaye Quinn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Regional Director Zuri Hill-Gray has it all - yet nothing feels right after the death of her twin sister. Then power engineer Lucia Ramirez comes stumbling into her life, bringing with her a threat to the power grid that puts her job - and last shred of identity - on the line.

Is it weird to say that You Knew the Price feels strangely prescient? I doubt Quinn could have predicted the power shortages in Texas right at the time she's launching the book, but time is just weird nowadays anyway! The main difference is, the power shortages in the book are done on purpose for nefarious reasons instead of being a result of poor planning through climate change.

Still, the overall premise for the Nothing is Promised series is a timely and relevant one: pandemics, climate change, and the price society has to pay collectively to fix things. Where Quinn focuses very much on found family in When You Had Power, it's the community gathering support each other - whether they're colleagues or unknown protesters - that comes to the fore here. As much as Zuri is able to rely on the support of her close-knit family, she also needs to step up and face the very real evil of people bent on power. And she can't do it alone.

Note: I received a digital ARC of this book from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

View all my reviews

The Nothing is Promised series: