Book Review: Bright Green Futures: 2024 | Susan Kaye Quinn (ed)

Bright Green Futures: 2024 by Renan Bernardo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm going to review this in order of the stories I liked the most.

Coriander by Ana Sun - 5 stars
There's possibly a lot of bias in me liking this story best, because well, Ana Sun seems to be a fellow Malaysian. Corianderis the story of Aster, a young woman returning to her great-grandmother's homeland, chasing a cultural inheritance that has been lost along the way to westernisation, colonisation, and the need for assimilation. The details are semi-familiar, an ancestor fleeing this land for greener pastures elsewhere, their descendants return as mere tourists. There's the heat of the equator, the tang of spices and mud, a long description of food. Laksa, in this instance. And omg DOULOS! WHO REMEMBERS DOULOS, I loved Doulos (which has now apparently been converted from a floating bookstore to a hotel??). I spent way too long distracted, trying to figure out which island Aster's great-grandmother was from. Not Singapore, too much Malay; not Penang because dangit Penang Laksa does NOT have prawns, chicken or coriander, that's... AH, that's Sarawak Laksa, and this has to be Sarawak, but it's an island and... dangit Anna, Borneo IS an island. A very big one.
At any rate, Coriander is a story of connection - reconnecting to one's roots, making new connections, rediscovering your place in the world - and being kind and giving to everyone. It's also a story of adaptation - of rebuilding after devastation, of creating new ways to deal with the changing climate, of regreening the earth - and preservation.

What Kind of Bat is This? by Sarena Ulibarri - 4.5 stars
Is this a BAT or is this a DINOSAUR? Is the AI crazy or did a PTEROSAUR really survive in hiding all these years? It's a slightly crazy scenario, but I feel like I like this one quite a bit because the characters are active. They're doing something now to save the world, and they're teens/young adults still learning and growing (even if they're being petty to each other while doing it). Maybe I also like the slight Jurassic Park vibe, without the killer raptors.

Centipede Station by T.K. Rex - 4 stars
What's there NOT to like about interstellar travel and alien contact? And a reminder that sentient aliens might not look humanoid. They may look like clicky space centipedes. Let's try not to murder sentient species on first contact, m'kay?

A Merger in Corn Country by Danielle Arostegui - 3.5 stars
This comes back to community, exploring what it's like to live in a commune - from their confused, old neighbour's point of view. I like the slow shift from curiosity to understanding to acceptance from both sides. It's charming, but it's a little too foreign (lol) for it to truly resonate with me.

The Doglady and the Rainstorm by Renan Bernardo - 3 stars
In a flooded future Rio de Janeiro, Joseane (also known as the Doglady) gets stuck in a thunderstorm while trying to send the dogs she walks back to their owners. She thinks she's alone, ever since she lost her father, but she slowly discovers that she's not, not really. I think where it doesn't quite connect for me is where Joseane keeps making weird (to me) decisions... just very much why on earth would you do that? I know panic and dumb decisions are things, but... idk.

Ancestors, Descendants by BrightFlame - 3 stars
There are sentient trees in this one - and an integrated network of resources previously denied to humans (because you know, humans chop things down and hunt other things). What would integration with nature look like? And how would humans change if they went back to nature? It's a story of integration and ingenuity - and also sacrifice, to protect what these select humans have found while the world outside collapses on itself. The premise was just a little too far out for me to truly enjoy.

The Park of the Beast by T.K. Rex - ??
I dunno what to think of this story of trees in cages and invisible beings??? I cannot tell if this is a fever dream. I think I'm missing something here. I'm assuming this is the prose-poem, which goes to prove that really, poetry confuses me.

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

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Bright Green Futures 2024 releases next week! You can get it here!  

Book Review: The Only Song Worth Singing | Randee Dawn

The Only Song Worth Singing by Randee Dawn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ooof, what can I say about this book? Randee Dawn first lured me in with tea at Glasgow Worldcon 2024 and her brilliant Tune in Tomorrow - and she definitely delivers again with The Only Song Worth Singing. There's much more beer than tea in this one, but it's a fantastic dive into Irish mythology and the lives of these three young rockstars from Dublin.

Ciaran (C) is the extroverted face of the band, Malachi (Mal) is the genius behind their musical arrangements, and Patrick (Patch, previously Padraig) often feels like the hanger on tagging along to support the dynamic duo. But what if, when they run into trouble with the sidhe, he's the only one who can save them? To do that, Patrick must face the past he's left far, far behind, and reconnect to the stories and superstitions he'd once been told to discard.

Part of Patrick's conflict in reconnecting with the traditions he'd grown up with as a boy is his later schooling and upbringing by the monks. Brother David tells him that it is possible to believe in both sets of stories - to believe in Jesus and also to honour and believe in the stories of his youth - but Brother David is sent away after that, and Patrick is made to leave the monastery the day he turned sixteen. Obviously this isn't the core of the story - but it's a thread that I would have loved to explore more.

For the underlying premise of The Only Song Worth Singing is actually quite an old trope - that the belief of humans is what gives the sidhe, or fairies, and other supernatural creatures their form. Dawn twists it and layers it, so it becomes much more than that - and the twists and turns are in turns delightful in their revelation and terrifying in their outcomes.

Ultimately, there's magic and music, and love and loss, and the power of friendship and loyalty to hold each other up. What's not to love?

Note: I received a digital ARC of this book from the CAEZIK SF & Fantasy via Edelweiss. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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The Only Song Worth Singing released yesterday! (Or today, depending on where you are). Get it here. 

Book Review: Girls: Life isn't a Fairy Tale | Annet Schaap, Laura Watkinson

Girls: Life Isn't a Fairy Tale by Annet Schaap
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

These are familiar fairy tales retold, and mostly modernised in some way: Rumpelstiltskin, Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, The Frog Prince, Bluebeard, Sleeping Beauty, and Beauty and the Beast. (Well, at least I think "Monster Girl" is a gender flipped Beauty and the Beast, since I can't figure out any closer comparison.)

There's a wry humour that runs through these stories, and it's especially amusing to me how Schaap twists the original stories to new and unexpected endings. Whilst all the stories are pretty dark, there's also a thread of hope - and if not hope, a kind of resilience - that turns up at the unexpected times and in unexpected places in most of them. There's also a stark realism to them; I'd like to imagine that these retellings would have the same impact on us as the originals did in their time, in warning the readers about the dangers of the world. And also in telling us how to overcome them.

Note: I received a digital ARC of this book from Pushkin Children's Books via Edelweiss. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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Book Review: Murder at Gull's Nest | Jess Kidd

Murder at Gulls Nest by Jess Kidd
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Murder at Gulls Nest is a classic cosy mystery in the vein of Agatha Christie's Miss Marple. Here, we have an Nora Breen, a former nun, who arrives at Gore-on-Sea in Kent in search of Frieda Brogan, her former novice and friend. Gulls Nest, the same boarding house that Frieda disappeared from, is filled with odd characters: the grieving widow and her wild, silent child; the loving couple who may be facing difficult times; the secret smuggler; the old entertainer; the foreigner; and the grim housekeeper. It's all Breen can do to trace Frieda's footsteps... and then the murders start.

The mystery itself is intriguing. There's enough intrigue and misdirection, misunderstandings and coincidences to keep you entertained and guessing. The various characters are colourful and complex... and yet the main thing that kept me from really enjoying the book was Nora Breen herself.

Breen is supposed to be about 50, but she came across to me as rather brash, impulsive, and unlikeable, as if she'd staved off her teenage years in the convent and was now catching up with antics like constantly throwing shoes at the police constable. There's her rape backstory to contend with, which felt like it was mostly brought up to force a connection with another character. And then there was that nod to a relationship between Breen and the Inspector at the end of the book, which felt rather forced after their extremely contrary working relationship. It's not quite insta-love, but it feels like it was made to happen because both of them were single and had, well, a love for solving mysteries and this was the easiest way for them to work together in future books.

Other minor quibble: The book was written in the present tense, which felt rather jarring and strange for a book of this kind/genre. There didn't seem to be anything in the narrative or text that made it feel necessary, neither did it add to the atmosphere. This is very much a reader preference, however, so maybe it works for others.

At any rate, anyone who likes whodunnits would probably like this book.

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

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Book Review: A Palace Near the Wind | Ai Jiang

A Palace Near the Wind by Ai Jiang
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Land Walkers, or humans, have been encroaching onto Feng territory for years, bringing with it progress and development. But whatever good they purportedly bring is destroying the very fabric of Feng society and the Wind Walkers' way of life. Liu Lufeng's arranged marriage to the King is meant to buy them more time, her bridewealth used to negotiate ways to preserve what little they have left. Yet Lufeng's mother and sisters' marriages have had little lasting effect - so what hope does she have that her own marriage will bring needed change? Thus, attempted murder.

Despite its length - or maybe because of it - A Palace Near the Wind requires careful reading. It's a little hard to get into at first as there are many new ideas and concepts to orient yourself to and there's little to ease your way - and I say this coming fresh off the Stormlight Archives. Maybe if Ai had given it more space to breathe, it wouldn't be so hard to connect.

And yet, once things fall into place, A Palace Near the Wind feels less dense, but more richly layered, exploring not just the destructive nature of unchecked development, but also the any layers of governance and the hidden powers behind the throne. Is the face of the government, be it a king or a president, really the one making the decisions? Or are there others behind them pulling the strings? Can you truly take anything at face value? Or must one always be wary of where the money flows?

The longer Lufeng stays in the Palace, the more secrets she uncovers - secrets that shake the foundations of her very life. What are the true origins of Feng? And what should she do when she discovers that the people she grew up trusting may be complicit in the destruction of her nation? These are delicious breadcrumbs that Ai scatters as twists in the story, leading up to a tantalising cliffhanger.

It is here that I wish that this weren't a novella duology, but that it had been written as a complete novel, because now I have to wait for the next book to be published.

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

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Call for Beta Readers!

I've been writing again.... yay!

By which, I mean to say, I've been writing something that isn't the Tea Novel.

It's a prequel to Amok, following our good friend Yosua's father. You've already read some of his story, mostly via conversations, in Amok, but I thought I'd like to flesh it out a little into a short story of its own. (Uh, it's not really short, kinda verging into novelette territory, but well, it's not a novel.)

At any rate, I'm looking for beta readers! And I'd love to give you this early preview if you'd agree to give me some feedback! :D

Sounds like something you'd like to read? Apply here: https://forms.gle/uRnjkxN3MwyYLdy68 

Book Review: A Stitch in Time | Lee Su Ann

A Stitch in Time by Lee Su Ann
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A Stitch in Time is a pretty lighthearted read.

Gavin Lai presents as something of a ghost through most of the book, but he's not a scary ghost - just a self-absorbed young actor trying to get back into the real world.

Clare Chong, a super quiet, introverted girl, is the only one in the school who can see him. Which means she's the only one who can help him. She has to confront her fears and inadequacies in order to solve the mystery of his disappearance... while he has to face himself and what has brought him to this place.

90s pop culture references abound, which makes it fun (and maybe a little nostalgic) to read as one who grew up in those times. I'm not sure if present day YA (ie the real target readers) would find that as exciting, or just incomprehensible. I mean, they're still using FAXES and DIAL-UP internet, and there are no smartphones! Only old-fashioned, large, bulky mobile phones that only business men use...

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Book Review: Water Moon | Samantha Sotto Yambao

Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

On the day Hana inherits the pawnshop, she wakes up to find the shop in disarray and her father missing, along with the last item pawned. The simple solution is that her father had interrupted the theft and gone to reclaim the stolen item, but things aren't what they seem in Hana's world.

Keishin returned to Japan to start a new life, but his short transit in Tokyo to visit a ramen shop throws him into a whole new world - one of portals to another world that follows its own fantastical rules while being limited by an overwhelming sense of purpose and severe lack of choices. Still, he cannot help but offer to assist the enchanting pawnshop owner in her quest to find her parents.

Water Moon is a whimsical tale of a pawnshop that exists between two worlds. It doesn't trade in goods, but past regrets, choices that were discarded along the way. Hana's world is truly fantastical, following rules that don't make sense in the real world. Paper cranes come to life, museums showcase the capsules of time, and unbelievable ways to travel. In some ways, it reminds me of a Japanese version of Haroun and the Sea of Stories - but for adults - plus some of the wonderful literalism from Roar.

There was a little bit too much insta-love for my liking. It's obvious right from the moment that Keishin is introduced that he would fall in love with Hana, for no other reason than he wants to help her like some kind of knight in shining armour and that he is stubborn. And because of Fate. Hana, at least, has a little more complexity - and her some of her strange choices are explained in the book's resolution.

At its core, this tale encourages you to slow down, live in the present and let go of the past.

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

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Water Moon releases on January 14, 2025. 

2024: A Year In Review

Here we are at the Year In Review again! In attempt at consistency, I shall use last year's headers as a format.

2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023

Blog Life

I haven't been maintaining the blog, despite some attempts. I also haven't been very consistent at blogging my reviews, so they've been a little haphazard. I don't know if this is a priority any longer, but it's just nice to have a little (permanent) space for longer pieces if I feel like it. 

The twelve-month stats DO show that people are still reading this little thing, though, so maybe I'll try to cross post reviews a little more often, and talk about my writing more.

I'm wondering about the July spike. WHAT did I do in July? HMM there was the AABA panel in KL on 29 June and I guess the PWW24 showcase on 6 July. OH I redid my overall website at the end of June and sent out an email about it, plus the Jurusihir links. I'm assuming that somehow sent traffic over, though I'm not sure how. Or why.

Top posts for the year aren't actually new posts, but old A to Z Challenge ones, which I guess goes to say that I should attempt A to Z again this year.

Hoookay. Digging further shows a strange number of hits from China, which probably means... that all that readership is suspect. lol. 

But at any rate, I only wrote 26 posts in 2024 (2023: 54) so I should try to be more consistent in 2025.

Reading Life

I read 57 books in 2024 (2023: 59), which means I did keep a relatively stable almost one book a week (not really, I just did several binges to catch up at various times during the year). Though I did 'cheat' and read a series of short stories that were each published as separate titles lol. I also tried transitioning to StoryGraph, so here's the Goodreads Year in Books vs the StoryGraph Reading Wrap Up.

Crossposting reviews to this blog is still easier via Goodreads but the stats from StoryGraph are more interesting, so I'll see if I can keep up this dual posting thing. 

I rated 17 books with 5 stars this year, but these are my top 5:

• Deplorable Conversations with Cats and other Distractions by Yeoh Jo-Ann
• The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge
• Tune in Tomorrow by Randee Dawn
• Queen of Fury by Natania Barron
• To Weave the Wind by Sharon Rose

Really easy choices this year - the other 5 stars were good, but NOT AS GREAT.

The 2024 TBR goal was to DNF with prejudice, but I guess I got lucky and picked a bunch of books I actually liked so I only DNFed maybe 2 books? I do not have a TBR goal for this year yet, except maybe I'll target specific shelves/boxes to read so I can finally clear those spaces. 

Writing Life

I HAVE NOT BEEN WRITING. THIS IS ANNOYING. 2025 needs to be A Year of Writing because 2024 has not. 

Then again... I did write a whole novel (albeit a short one) in 1.5 months  that was published by Bookiut in May (omg those timelines were stupid, do not do this again) and we had a launch at the KL International Book Fair (!!) so I suppose I DID actually do something, even if half the time I forget that the book exists. I need to stop subconsciously meng-anak-tirikan this thing because it is actually the most commercially successful book I have written even if it's the weakest writing.

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Glasgow 2024 (Worldcon) was a nice writerly thing I attended - after which Jaymee and I had a writing retreat where I finished a bunch of rewrites and edits on the Tea Novel. I was on a few sessions at Flights of Foundry in September!

So now I have started on that long, slow route of querying for the Tea Novel, but I am also thinking of... rewriting it again. At any rate, the goal for 2025 is to write something new so I might move on to a next thing before coming back to this one. (The next thing is a nebulous idea called Paskah, but which doesn't have a plot, only vibes.)

Publishing Life

Last year I merged the publishing stuff with the writing stuff, but I think this deserves a slot of its own, only because I realised that I slowed on the writing end because of the publishing end. This includes my editorial work, and possibly MYWriters stuff. SO!! In PUBLISHING (and here I am relying heavily on Instagram and my invoices because obviously I do not keep a viable log)...

June:

CLAP was launched in June! There's still some backend docs to finish editing, but the main bulk of it is up and accessible. 

July:

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PWW24 had its showcase in July, which means a showcase zine! I do not know when the 2025 edition will be but it will... possibly be. 

August:

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Petaling Street: Traditions in Transition finally launched after many setbacks. This has cemented my conviction NOT to apply for government-related grants, no matter how nice that money sounds. 

Two short stories from Home Groan (2020) were selected for the STPM Literature in English component.

September:

I really loved editing Sins of the Fire, which was released in September! 

November:

Launched two books for the Malaysian Writers Society.

NutMag is our flagship Penang zine, and this year's edition is special because it also includes the winners of GTLF's Muara Writing Prize! It's so hefty that I don't know if we should still call it a zine. It's like a proper book now. haha. 

Tapau is the Society's second reprint anthology! It's also wildly successful by our standards because we've already moved almost 200 copies in just one month (ie: I received 240 copies in Penang, I have like maybe 44 left)

I cannot think of anything else to add to this post, so I guess I'll end it here. In terms of goals, we already have Milestones in the works, so I'm considering pulling back on everything else to focus on actually writing new stuff. 

Maybe I'll actually blog more about Anna's Year of Writing, but I usually do one post and then forget, so no promises. At any rate, I'm slightly more active on BlueSky and Threads at this moment if you want to do the socmed thing. 

HAPPY 2025!

Book Review: Môo-Sîn-á: Mystery of The Invisible Tribe | Wang Chashung

Môo-Sîn-á: Mystery of The Invisible Tribe by Wang Chashung

Translated by Grace Tong En Hui & Tew YiQian
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I finally got round to reading this! Received a complimentary copy during GTLF last year, and well, you know the TBR.

This English translation of Môo-Sîn-á was published in 2023 but mostly reads a little like early English sci-fi works from the 1950s or so. It's slightly meandering and quite deeply reflective, and while not exactly epistolic, reads more like a letter or diary than a modern narrative novel.

Set in 1990s in Taiwan, the novel follows Wang as he journeys into the interior jungles of Taiwan to reconnect with Hei, an old friend from his army days. It's also something of an escape or an exploration of midlife crisis - he's recently separated from his wife and has left his job, and the only thing that's piquing his interest is looking for Hei. Several times during his journey, aided only by a magical hand-drawn map, Wang admits to himself that he's really looking to discover himself.

There isn't much of a "fantasy" or "magic" structure in place - these are myths, intertwined with spirituality/religion, with a strong folklore base. Primary is the Taiwanese myth of the Môo-Sîn-á, a dark-skinned people with magical powers) with a strange connection to Bornean tribes. Including time-travelling Japanese! Unfortunately, this does colour it with a colonial lens, with the impression of "civilised" people trying to connect with the "primitive" people in the mountains. However, since it's Taiwanese, there's less of a " discovering savage barbarians" feel and more of a cautious exploration of supernatural mystique overlaid with fear of ghosts. I'm curious to know if there really is some connection between the Taiwan aborigines and Borneo natives, or if this is something Wang made up.

Wang sometimes makes very strange detours and ruminations even in the midst of an ongoing conversation which I found a little annoying. Maybe it works better in the original writing, if that's some form of writing convention in Chinese.

I guess to summarise, I did enjoy the story, but I also had a lot of questions about editing choices. Though I don't really know how that is supposed to work with translations.

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Book Review: The Sapphire Solution | M.H. Thaung

The Sapphire Solution by M.H. Thaung
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Sapphire Solution follows right after the events of The Diamond Device. Lord Richard Hayes is still riding out the aftereffects of his previous adventure - including a hearing about whether he will retain his seat. But whilst Hayes is important to the many misadventures in this story, Iggy Arragore is the main protagonist.

Like Rich, Iggy is an immigrant to Ironfort. She's working as an apprentice for her uncle, but starts taking matters into her own hands when he refuses to let her graduate. Luckily, there's a new programme that will allow her to do just that...

In a way, The Sapphire of Solution is a comedy of errors, and could also have been a somewhat amusing heist story, but where Thaung loses me is with the resolution. There is a lot of build up and convoluted plot happening (maybe too many?) and in the end they're all connected in a way. But at the risk of being spoilery, (view spoiler)[there's no real crime (hide spoiler)]. Everything comes down to... multiple misunderstandings. On many sides. And correcting those misunderstandings leading to new misunderstandings, until... well, arrests happen and things get resolved.

Sally and Rich's parents are again used as some kind of deus ex machina, but not really. I'm not sure at this point why they're even mentioned, except to make sure that we know they're still around and deliberately not being helpful, while spying on things.

Despite all that, The Sapphire Solution is an enjoyable read - there's much to laugh about and shake your head over, especially since the blunders and mishaps are comedic both in timing and execution. There's a lot about social navigation, and the butting of heads between tradition vs modernity, social classes, race, and expectations (or maybe prejudices). 

Oh and for goodness sake, the importance of having proper Help.

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Book Review: The Diamond Device | M.H. Thaung

The Diamond Device by M.H. Thaung
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Picked this up free at Glasgow 2024.

The Diamond Device is a fun steampunk adventure? Mystery? thingamabob. Genre definitions are hard. There are British class vibes (impoverished lord trying to pretend he's doing fine, his last household servant is more loyal to him and his family than to her own friends), cosy mystery vibes (neither Alf Wilson nor Richard Hayes are detectives, and yet they must help the police solve this mystery without creating an international disaster), and all round fun shenanigans.

Alf Wilson is pulled into a lot of things he doesn't want to do out of a sense of duty and honour, and overwhelming concern for his sister and mother. Lord Richard Hayes is desperately trying to find enough money to pay his property taxes whilst pretending that everything is fine! And obviously getting a job is not going to cut it, just because of his title. It makes for a very interesting pairing as they both try to navigate each other's foibles.

The Diamond Device was a breeze to read, and I was captured from the start. The plot is twisty enough to keep you on your toes - you think the kidnapping is solved at the 50% mark, but ohoho! More complications crop up!

The one thing that didn't quite sit well was the Hayes' parents very odd lack of concern for him. In some ways, it felt inevitable that they would have to come appear sometime, but after all the explanations, I found myself going, "You knew all that and yet you just... didn't do anything?"
It also felt like Richard accepted their reasoning much too easily and calmly, like, sure, everything's fine now because he found them again.

Anyway, there is book 2 (The Sapphire Solution) so I may proceed on to that after I'm done with my current read.

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Book Review: Here Lyeth | Johanna Frank

Here Lyeth by Johanna Frank

Set in a 17th century German-speaking setting, Here Lyeth is a tale of witch trials, murder, redemption, and the afterlife.

Meginhardt (or, well, his spirit) is taken through time and space to resolve his personal issues before his entrance to the afterlife which, in this story, is a literal spiritual kingdom with God as King (they pray to King, instead of God). Lexxie's world is shattered when she discovers that she was stolen as a baby - and the man and woman she grew up calling father and grandmother are not her biological family. The story follows Meginhardt's search for approval and Lexxie's search for her true family, with the separate strands gradually intertwining as you follow the threads back to Vereiteln Dorf.

Honestly, Here Lyeth was difficult book for me get into, mostly because it is linguistically confusing. Frank uses archaic sentence structures, I suppose to reflect the era, and she also drops in German words to reflect the setting. Actually, despite the German words dropped in here and there (which, did you know, the Kindle can pull up a translation for you if you don't want to refer to the glossary at the end?), a lot of the dialogue sounded very Tom Sawyer/Huckleberry Finn to me, which pings Southern American - though I am neither American nor German, so maybe I am the problem lol.

AND THEN, when the angelic beings and time travel comes into play, a whole bunch of anachronisms make it through because, I guess, angels live outside of time and speak in modern-ish language. This only made sense when I read the previews of her other two books, which are set 300 years later in the modern era, so I guess she was maybe trying to make sure the angels sounded the same? Frank puts Here Lyeth as the first in the A Lifeline Fantasy Series, but is actually the third book to be published.

At any rate, Lexxie gets very little sympathy from me from the start because she is a Too Stupid To Live character. Unfortunately, that is probably a necessary characteristic for the story to go anywhere. If you don't mind Very Dumb Decisions, you may actually like her. She is kind and compassionate but hello, she is willing to throw away a wonderful, loving family because *tantrum* you are not my REAL father!!! BLOOD IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVERYTHING ELSE. She doesn't press for answers, even though she has time and opportunity, which leads to...

ANNOYING NON-COMMUNICATION TROPE, where neither Harmon nor Grossmutter bother to explain anything, even though they know Lexxie is about to self destruct by going back to the village they once deserted in search of a father they KNOW isn't going to live up to her starry-eyed dreams which...

Okay, I understand some irrational decisions by seventeen year old girls but... to push through when everyone says it's stupid and dangerous and she has never left the home or interacted with Real Life People before... is a next level of unbelievable. The adults in this story aren't being very responsible or mature either.

Meginhardt, on the other hand, is a wishy-washy teen who changes his mind every other page, and is so set on trying to return to his body even though he is many years dead that it doesn't even make sense after a while. He's a classic example of a person who is rebellious just because, and doesn't listen to sense JUST BECAUSE, and no one can change his mind or reason with him because he'll do anything just to spite you JUST BECAUSE. Even if he wanted to in the first place. Boys, amirite.

I feel like maybe I am too urban and too old to understand these small village, isolated teens.

ANYWAY. Frank hit all my pet peeves in main characters, but I did enjoy the world that she built. Avondale sounds like a lovely village to grow up in. Vereiteln Dorf gave me the chills, but is very believable as a village under the control of a purity-obsessed priest and a money-grubbing treasurer. The witch hunts and blind belief feels especially real in the current climate.

The Kingdom, or afterlife, follows a very traditional Christian interpretation of heaven. There are heavenly beings, some of which have wings. The gates to the kingdom are guarded, and only the worthy are allowed in - rebels are kept out. The spirits of the departed live there, and perform various roles for the King (God), and the constant push is for the redemption of everyone. There's the imagery of the stones in the river of life which hold your true name that you get to see when you arrive - which feels like it's taken right out of Revelations.

While this story was not for me, you'll probably like it if you like historical fiction (especially around witch hunts and rustic locations) and Frank Peretti books (most of which I also found irritating lol) but with less overt spiritual warfare of the angel-battle kind. There are some Tilly by Frank E. Peretti vibes, I think, though it's been a while since I read that.

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

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Book Review: Queen of Fury | Natania Barron

Queen of Fury by Natania Barron
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

OMG like... I liked Queen of None well enough, (oh look I gave it 4 stars), but this one... I figure you could skip the first and just READ THIS. (Well, assuming you have a core knowledge of Arthurian legends.)

Hwyfar is fire and fury and everything you would want in a Queen. Of course, King Arthur can't have that because then she would challenge him and his authority too much. So he marries her sisters instead (in succession, not at the same time, lol). But Hwyfar is still a Princess of Avillion in her own right, not just Arthur's jilted bride, and when she's done wallowing, she finds a way to rise to her true calling and protect her homeland.

There's a dual POV in this one, so you're following both Hwyfar of Avillion and Gawain of Orkney, which is brilliant in this (okay, maybe a little tropish) tale of fated lovers, treason, and magic, especially since both parties present a very different persona to the world than they truly are/feel. There's interweavings of the tales of the green man (Green Knight?) and the lost kingdom of Lyonesse, cults with corrupt magic, and a navigating of forbidden love because King Arthur is a self-absorbed, insecure man who cannot abide anyone better than him nearby for fear that they will rise up and take his throne. Even if it's his own nephew.

Content warnings: I have to add that this is 100% NOT a clean read. A key theme in the magic of this story is the concept of "carioz" or partners, and the exchange of power or energy in this pairing worked out via a lot of blood and sex.

It's a marked shift from Anna Pendragon's story, where the protagonist herself is hidden in the shadows - and stays there. Here, Hwyfar is meant to be relegated to the background, but she steals the reins for herself, taking command of her own destiny. It's still very much a period piece though, showcasing what she can (or cannot) do within the constraints of a misogynistic, chauvinistic society - especially if she wants to balance agency with respectability. There's also that pesky thing about family loyalty and how all they want to do might break the peace of the kingdom since they're both from royal families.

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

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 Apparently you can preorder Queen of Fury here. It releases in December! Read my review of Queen of None here. 

Book Review: To Weave the Wind | Sharon Rose

To Weave the Wind by Sharon Rose
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ever since Devron's time in To Form a Passage, the ties between Dirklan Province below and the rest of Welcia above have been kept alive through the half-year opening of the dome and a formal exchange of representatives. Princess Fanteal's grandfather is the Prime Minister of Dirklan, her mother is Dirklan's Ambassador to Welcia, and now it's Fanteal's turn to take her place as the Royal Ambassador to Dirklan. She's supposed to have the guidance of her grandfather, a canny politician who has planned out the transition... except when the time comes, he's dead and a new, desperate Prime Minister has been installed in his place.

Misunderstandings abound. Fanteal is assured she will have a year to choose a suitable husband, but everyone in Dirklan assumes she will marry the Prime Minister's son. What Fanteal is trained for is to be an ambassador, yet all her suitors - sons of various Dirklan Governors - assume that she will be nothing more than a trophy wife. Most important of all, Fanteal is a powerfully gifted wind weaver, but what Dirklan really wants and needs is a streamer to restore the trade cataracts.

To Weave the Wind is a fantastic read that weaves all the usual political drama about kingdoms and thrones and backstabbing, unscrupulous usurpers with a gentle enemies-to-friends-to-lovers storyline. There's plenty of ambition and pride to go around, but there's also honour, loyalty, and integrity, exemplified in the Mikkaels - the new Prime Minister and his son, Jaikon. Rose makes good use of cultural shifts between those who live above and below ground to build up these misunderstandings - especially when there is a huge communication barrier in the form of an entire swath of rock that prevents either group from going up or down except through the dome.

Where To Form a Passage is a story of visions and dreams and trusting in God (or, well, Ellincreo), To Weave the Wind is a story of restoration. Dirklan, for all that its Keepers speak against idols, has fallen away from true worship. They have covered up the vision wall that once saved them, saying that visions are a thing of the past. They have suppressed the gifts of the wind weavers, putting restrictions on them because they are not deemed 'useful'. They ignore certain gifts, even those of formers, who don't fit into what the current leadership can do.

Yet who is to say that a gift from Ellincreo isn't useful? Or that He isn't sending something unusual that will be useful precisely for such a time as this?

(Hmm, in saying that, there really were some Queen Esther vibes...)

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

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To Weave the Wind is available directly from Sharon Rose's website or from Amazon. You may as well get To Form a Passage while you're at it! :) You probably don't need to read the first one to understand the second as they're not directly linked, but it's pretty cool to see the things you read in the first book become a myth/legend in the second. (Paperbacks were available at time of review, hopefully ebooks will be too by the time this posts!) ((No I'm not paid for this, I just like these books lol))

#bookreview: DOSA Files: Tales from the SVR Universe | HL Burke

DOSA Files: Tales from the SVR Universe, Volume 1 by H.L. Burke
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Loved it!

This is a compilation of 10 short stories written by 10 authors in H.L. Burke's supervillain rehabilitation universe. Which means that all these stories feature redemption in some form - whether it's a kid being provided guidance before (or while) they get too deep into trouble, or adults being given a second chance to do the right thing. Orrrr supervillains who "accidentally" do the right thing because at heart they're actually still good human beings deep inside.

There's quite a range of stories here, from sweet romances to slice-of-life, action to... something of a heist so there should be something for every kind of reader. The overarching theme seems to be "everyone can be a hero to someone else, even if you think you/your powers are useless", which, obviously, is a good message to take away.

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Get it here! (Amazon affiliate link)

#bookreview: Closet Full of Time and Other Dark Tales | Susan Kaye Quinn

Closet Full of Time and Other Dark Tales: by Susan Kaye Quinn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Closet Full of Time and Other Dark Tales is a collection of five short stories about a dark, AI-filled future and its consequences for human livelihoods. In these stories, Susan Kaye Quinn takes you to a future where humans have to sell themselves to the tech overlords for various reasons, or find their realities being distorted by the manipulation of digital archives and records around them.

I've been following Quinn's work for a long time and have loved her recent hopeful climate fiction. This collection feels darker than those, but still has that hopeful - or at least bitter sweet - taste at the end that reminds you that a vital part of our humanity is our ability to band together to make things better for ourselves. (Though, it's usually other humans on the other side who are using AI for nefarious reasons.)

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

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#Bookreview: Wind in Trees | Arthur M. Doweyko

Wind-In-Trees by Arthur M Doweyko
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After an asteroid strike and viral outbreak that leaves the earth devastated, Henry Wind in Trees may be the only human left alive. And yet... he's not entirely human. In an effort to save him from the virus, Henry's brain was transplanted into a cyborg body. Now, Systems is coming to complete the job and give him a fully artificial brain as well. Wind in Trees is the story of how the last Lakota Sioux native American discovers the truth behind Systems and the apocalypse as he travels through America with his wife's ghost, his robot aide, and an alien.

Overall, Wind in Trees has a bit of a rough start because there are some strange timeline jumps (Chapter 1 should honestly either be deleted or called a prologue) and extended flashbacks, but once you get into the meat (i.e. the actual timeline), it's quite an enjoyable read. It's listed as "sci-fi/action-adventure" on the publisher's page, but honestly, it's a lot of broadly spec fic things at once. The beginning itself has supernatural/horror vibes because of Elizabeth's ghost; yet it's quite dystopic because civilisation as we know it has been destroyed. There's also the interweaving of myth with a Lakota legend forming a core motif: if the old woman (or Elizabeth) ever finishes knitting the blanket, the world will end (again?).

In accordance with the meme that humans will bond with anything, Henry bonds with Seth the robot, often treating it as if it were also human. He also forms a friendship with Anth, even though the alien is part of the advance party that's preparing earth for colonisation. It's these bonds, and his strong relationship with Elizabeth, that provide answers to the many questions and conflicts that Henry faces.

The novel seems to be asking the question, "What would you do if you were the last person on earth?" Dowekyo's answer seems to be "befriend every other living being to not be alone", but I think the true answer should be: Not let your wife finish the blanket, obviously.

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

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Wind-In Trees can currently be pre-ordered from Amazon or Kallisto Gaia Press.

#Bookreview: Tune in Tomorrow | Randee Dawn

Tune in Tomorrow: The Curious, Calamitous, Cockamamie Story Of Starr Weatherby And The Greatest Mythic Reality Show Ever by Randee Dawn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was pulled into this by the offer of free tea, honest. There I was, half-heartedly browsing books at the Dealers Hall in Glasgow 2024, telling myself I had no money (exchange rate = 6!!!!) or space (the Bag is FULL), when Randee Dawn was like, "here, take some free tea, check out the book later." (or something like that, idk, I was distracted by free tea.) Which are supposed to be deconstituted brownies (of the mythical kind, not the food kind).

Ok, back to the book. (I mean, the brownies are from the book.)

Starr Weatherby is in New York, chasing that elusive dream of stardom. When she unexpectedly gets a job offer from an extremely handsome man with really strange partners, she grabs onto it with both hands. Except Jason Valentine isn't a man. He's a faun. And the Reality Show she's on is filmed beyond the Veil, for the entertainment of the Fae. And their longest, most famous actor on the show, Fiona Ballantine, does NOT want her there. Starr (variously Sam/Samantha) has found what she wants to do in life and she's not going to let anyone get in the way, even a murderer. She just has to figure out what's really going on.

Tune in Tomorrow is a hilariously magical read in the vein of Jasper Fforde and Tom Holt. It's a lot of drama, I mean, it's about drama, but there is DRAMA. There's also a lot of backstabbing and spying going on - all enhanced by magical powers that the long-term actors have accumulated. Then there's Starr trying to piece together the clues of what happened 30 years ago, which involved Fiona being Fiona, a mysterious Joseph and his scripts, and... Amelia, who had mysteriously left/been fired/disappeared/moseyed, so that she can avoid making the same mistake and keep her job.

Some comedic stories get a little too over the top for me, but this one struck a perfect note. Just like the tea is a perfect blend.

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LOOK A SIGNED BOOK!

The tea is from teaandabsinthe.com, and was apparently a limited release in conjunction with Dawn's book launch.

#musicmonday: Battle Belongs | Phil Wickham

 

When all I see is the battle

You see my victory