“It was so much easier to hate a man than a system: vast, inhuman, bloodstained.”
The Warm Hands of Ghosts is a historical fantasy novel set during
“It was so much easier to hate a man than a system: vast, inhuman, bloodstained.”
The Warm Hands of Ghosts is a historical fantasy novel set during World War I that follows two siblings. In January 1918, Laura, a discharged nurse who has recently returned to Halifax after being wounded in the war, receives a notification of his brother’s death, but something doesn’t make sense and she decides to go back to the front to get answers. Across the Atlantic and a couple of months earlier, Freddie wakes up after an explosion and finds himself trapped in a pillbox alongside an enemy German soldier, with whom he will have to form a temporary alliance if they want to get out alive.
With this premise, Arden has written a story about family and the horrors of war, in which both protagonists must deal with trauma and grief, but in which there is also room for hope. In addition, the novel also has a speculative element in the form of a hotel that appears and disappears out of nowhere. A place run by a mysterious violinist who has a mirror that shows people what they most desire and whose enigmatic music attracts visitors who wish to forget the reality of war, if only for a few moments. But at what price?
I enjoyed Arden’s writing, as well as the idea of the magical hotel. I also appreciate the exhaustive research the author clearly carried out to set the novel in the years 1917 and 1918. Unfortunately, my interest dwindled as the story progressed, even reaching the last chapters without caring at all about the rather predictable and unexciting resolution of the plot.
“But faith was so easily manipulated. After all, what was faith but belief in something intangible? Something unseen, something unheard.”
After yea
“But faith was so easily manipulated. After all, what was faith but belief in something intangible? Something unseen, something unheard.”
After years of waiting for the orisha to speak to her and eventually become a priestess, Ashâke, an acolyte in the temple of Ifa, decides to try to summon a orisha to find some answers. But this act ends up attracting the attention of a powerful sect that, following the preaching of a person once called The Teacher, wants to wipe out all the orishas.
It took me a while to get into this story, as Ashâke got on my nerves on more than one occasion, although I have to say that I started to like her more as the story progressed. I really enjoyed the glimpses we get into this world and the twist the author threw in near the end. I especially loved the interactions with the griots, their scenes narrating events through songs in which the audience is transported to the time and place where they occurred.
Overall, a fast-paced and engaging novella inspired by Yoruba mythology. I look forward to reading the next and final instalment of this duology when it comes out.
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
“I’ve already seen the cost of war. It’s too great a price borne by the people who benefit the least.”
Five Broken Blades is a fun fantasy story in
“I’ve already seen the cost of war. It’s too great a price borne by the people who benefit the least.”
Five Broken Blades is a fun fantasy story inspired by Korean myth and culture about a hitman, an exiled prince, a poison maiden, a thief, a spymaster and a nobleman who have been hired to work together in order to kill the God King. But if they want to survive, they have to trust each other, which is easier said than done since they all have their own secrets and only one of them can take the crown. It’s a fast-paced story with plenty of action and chapters that end in a way that makes you not want to put the book down. The writing is quite simple and I don’t think the book needed three romantic subplots—two of which were pretty rushed and with some scenes that made me cringe. I was also bothered by the hypocrisy of a certain character accusing another of being sexist only for him to end up making equally or more disgusting comments. But overall, it was a fun read with an interesting twist at the end—although I saw the other one coming—that left me wanting to know how the story continues.
“Surround yourself with folk who confront you. If you’re not being challenged, you’re not learning anything. If you're the smartest man in the room, you're in the wrong fucking room.”
I have to confess that I wasn’t actually planning on reading this sequel. I didn’t enjoy the first installment all that much, but then I saw some great reviews when this book came out and my curiosity piqued. That said, I did consider DNFing it about a third of the way through, as I found the plot rather monotonous. But then the story took an interesting turn by adding a new point of view and I started to enjoy this sequel; it really helped to have part of the story outside of Gabriel’s head. I kind of saw the twist at the end coming, but it still made me want to know how this story will end.
“Even though you’re strong and capable of taking care of yourself—and I truly believe in that—you also need to be strong enough to know when to ask for help.”
This second book in the Campus Diaries series follows Diane and Shane, the best friends of the main characters in The Graham Effect. Diana feels some animosity towards Shane after seeing how he slept with her cheer teammates last year, leaving some broken hearts even though he had made it clear to them from the beginning that he was not looking for a relationship.
So when Shane moves into the apartment across from hers, Diana decides to establish some rules. But when Shane’s ex shows up at his house and Diana starts being harassed by her own ex-boyfriend, they both decide to fake a relationship. And guess what? As they spend time together, they begin to realize that they may be much more compatible than they thought.
I liked this book quite a bit, although not as much as I liked The Graham Effect. Some of the dialogues at the beginning of the novel seemed quite childish to me, the unnecessary mention of the size of a certain body part made me roll my eyes and, once again, this book didn’t have to be over 500 pages. But overall, I had a good time reading it and I quite liked how the romance developed, especially heading into the second half of the book. And well, the fact that this book has one of the spiciest scenes I’ve ever read was also a plus.
The Dixon Rule even made me cry, which rarely happens to me while reading books, but this one deals with the loss of a loved one and it made me very emotional. Other heavy themes are stalking and domestic violence, so be careful if these are topics that could trigger you.
All in all, this was another enjoyable college sports romance by Elle Kennedy.
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
“That kind of sacrifice creates a debt, and there’s nothing magic likes better than the great hollow of a debt.”
It’s been a decade since I read a
“That kind of sacrifice creates a debt, and there’s nothing magic likes better than the great hollow of a debt.”
It’s been a decade since I read a book by Veronica Roth but when I saw she had an adult urban fantasy novella coming out this year, I was immediately intrigued—and let’s be honest, that pretty cover caught my eye as soon as I saw it. This is a story based on Slavic folklore and set in modern-day Chicago. It follows Dymitr, a mortal who has been taught to hunt monsters his entire life, and who now sets out on a quest to find Baba Yaga. To do this, he offers a zmora a powerful flower that can break her curse in exchange for her assistance in finding the powerful witch.
During this 24-hour mission, the author introduces us to a world of leszy, zmory, strzygi, banshees and other creatures. I enjoyed the premise and it made me realize that, despite me thinking otherwise, I can sometimes enjoy quest stories. I think this one in particular benefits from letting the reader try to figure out what Dymitr’s ultimate goal is and why. I was also surprised by how gory this story is, but I think it complements the mystical and dark vibes of the novella.
It’s true that I generally prefer stories that take place over a longer period of time. And although the dynamics between the characters would have been more interesting if more time had passed, the fact that the mission had a deadline added some excitement to the read. Overall, this was an entertaining read that also explored religious themes and Polish diaspora.
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
“Power should never be so concentrated in the hands of a few.”
Inspired by the legend of Mulan, The Night Ends with Fire follows Meilin, a young wo
“Power should never be so concentrated in the hands of a few.”
Inspired by the legend of Mulan, The Night Ends with Fire follows Meilin, a young woman who, wanting to escape an arranged marriage to an abusive man, decides to disguise herself as a boy to join the army. As the Three Kingdoms descend into the chaos of war, Meilin must fight to survive and hide her identity from her fellow soldiers (as well as the prince who commands her legion), all while hiding the fact that she possesses a jade necklace containing a spirit seal that allows her to commune with a sea dragon and grants her a power forbidden in her kingdom.
I enjoyed following Meilin’s development over the months: her training in the army, her relationship with Sky, the exploration of the spirit realm and the influence the dragon begins to exert over her—is her ambition really hers or is the dragon trying to control her? I also liked the later introduction of a certain enemy prince; and I’m not going to lie, I hope he’s the chosen one in the love triangle.
What made me get stuck in some parts was Meilin herself. I love following an ambitious female protagonist but many of her decisions and the fact that she doesn’t listen to others or even entertain the idea of not always being right made me want to pull my hair out on more than one occasion. It was truly frustrating that her stubbornness made her realize things too late.
Overall, I enjoyed this first installment in a new fantasy duology. I had my issues with Meilin, but really enjoyed the world and the magic system. I’ll read the sequel and final book once it comes out.
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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