BOOKS | Review: Lips Touch by Laini Taylor

Name: Lips Touch

Author: Laini Taylor

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Date published: October 2014

Genre: Fiction, anthology, short stories, young adult, fantasy, paranormal, fairy tales, romance

Pages: 288

Rating: 4/5

Three tales of supernatural love, each pivoting on a kiss that is no mere kiss, but an action with profound consequences for the kissers' souls:
Goblin Fruit
In Victorian times, goblin men had only to offer young girls sumptuous fruits to tempt them to sell their souls. But what does it take to tempt today's savvy girls?
Spicy Little Curses
A demon and the ambassador to Hell tussle over the soul of a beautiful English girl in India. Matters become complicated when she falls in love and decides to test her curse.
Hatchling
Six days before Esme's fourteenth birthday, her left eye turns from brown to blue. She little suspects what the change heralds, but her small safe life begins to unravel at once. What does the beautiful, fanged man want with her, and how is her fate connected to a mysterious race of demons? 

- From Goodreads.

Goblin Fruit

This was a very dark and seductive story, it was very sinister but strangely delightful in a wicked way to read about how the goblins could latch onto what the soul desired and tempt you until you willingly did what they wanted, even though it would doom you.

Laini Taylor has a very poetic and descriptive style of writing that works perfectly with this kind of story, something like a dark fairy tale or twisted cautionary tale.

Spicy Little Curses Such as These 

This was quite a different story from the first one, although it had the similar feel of being something like a darker fairy tale. It felt very romantic while also having a tragic, bittersweet element to it.

Hatchling

This third story was quite a mysterious, suspenseful and intense story. There were quite a few different parts to the story and it was a little difficult to follow at first but by the end it all fitted together like a completed puzzle. Laini Taylor did not hold back on the darkness of this tale either and it was certainly not a lighthearted story, but it was definitely written well and had an interesting ending.

Overall Thoughts

It was a very well done collection of stories that fit together well and really showed Laini Taylor's skills for writing and her ability to write sinister, fairy tale-style stories in her own way, making them fascinating even when they became quite horrifying.

BOOKS | Review: A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft

Name: A Far Wilder Magic

Author: Allison Saft

Publisher: Orion Children's Books

Date published: March 2022

Genre: Fiction, young adult, fantasy, romance

Pages: 375

Rating: 4/5

When Margaret Welty spots the legendary hala, the last living mythical creature, she knows the Halfmoon Hunt will soon follow. Whoever is able to kill the hala will earn fame and riches, and unlock an ancient magical secret. If Margaret wins the hunt, it may finally bring her mother home. While Margaret is the best sharpshooter in town, only teams of two can register, and she needs an alchemist.
Weston Winters isn’t an alchemist - yet. Fired from every apprenticeship he's landed, his last chance hinges on Master Welty taking him in. But when Wes arrives at Welty Manor, he finds only Margaret and her bloodhound Trouble. Margaret begrudgingly allows him to stay, but on one condition: he must join the hunt with her.
Although they make an unlikely team, Wes is in awe of the girl who has endured alone on the outskirts of a town that doesn’t want her, in this creaking house of ghosts and sorrow. And even though Wes disrupts every aspect of her life, Margaret is drawn to him. He, too, knows what it's like to be an outsider. As the hunt looms closer and tensions rise, Margaret and Wes uncover dark magic that could be the key to winning the hunt - if they survive that long.

- From Goodreads.

The story felt something like a Studio Ghibli movie, whimsical, creative and adventurous, with a bit of a darker more intense side too.

It had a unique, inventive world with a lot of details that made it feel full of depth and like a real world we were being immersed into. The way the magic worked and the history, it was all fascinating to learn about.

I would warn anyone who might be upset by it that there is animal hunting in the story. Of course I went in knowing that they were hunting the mythical fox but there is an element of normal fox hunting too. It is not a flaw of the book of course, just a part of the setting, but it is just something to be aware of. 

I did enjoy the plot, although I did wonder if there was more of a twist coming and that did not end up happening, but it still ended in a satisfying way and all of the story's questions were answered by the end. I found towards the end I had a similar feeling that I did when I read Down Comes the Night, in that there was a bit of back and forth in the characters' decision making, especially with Margaret this time. It seemed like she had already come to her big revelation and the culmination of her character arc, but because the climax of the story had not happened yet she went back a step and doubted the decision she had already made until she made the decision again. It was a little frustrating to read but it was not too drawn out and it resolved well so it did not really ruin the enjoyment of the story too much for me.

I liked that Margaret and Wes had quite strong journeys of personal discovery over the course of the book. You begin thinking the story is about the hunt but it becomes about so much more than that. It also showed that they were a good fit together because they helped each other face the difficult things and brought out the best in each other. I really liked how their romance was written and how they slowly came to understand and care for each other.

This was another good book by Allison Saft and it makes me excited to read more of her work and see what other creative story ideas she comes up with.

BOOKS | Review: Keeper of Enchanted Rooms by Charlie N. Holmberg

Name: Keeper of Enchanted Rooms (Whimbrel House series #1)

Author: Charlie N. Holmberg

Publisher: 47North

Date published: November 2022

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, romance, historical, mystery, cosy

Pages: 330

Rating: 5/5

 

Rhode Island, 1846. Estranged from his family, writer Merritt Fernsby is surprised when he inherits a remote estate in the Narragansett Bay. Though the property has been uninhabited for more than a century, Merritt is ready to call it home - until he realizes he has no choice. With its doors slamming shut and locking behind him, Whimbrel House is not about to let Merritt leave. Ever.
Hulda Larkin of the Boston Institute for the Keeping of Enchanted Rooms has been trained in taming such structures in order to preserve their historical and magical significance. She understands the dangers of bespelled homes given to tantrums. She advises that it’s in Merritt’s best interest to make Whimbrel House their ally. To do that, she’ll need to move in, too.
Prepared as she is with augury, a set of magic tools, and a new staff trained in the uncanny, Hulda’s work still proves unexpectedly difficult. She and Merritt grow closer as the investigation progresses, but the house’s secrets run deeper than they anticipated. And the sentient walls aren’t their only concern - something outside is coming for the enchantments of Whimbrel House, and it could be more dangerous than what rattles within.

- From Goodreads.

The plot of Keeper of Enchanted Rooms had an intriguing mystery and was well paced as it slowly built up to the exciting conclusion.

The author managed to create a villain that was awful and irredeemable and did horrendous things, but still made him sympathetic enough that you understood his motivations, why he had done what he had done and how he had got to the place that he had.

The magic of the world and the setting of the house was so creative and it was exciting to learn about it as the book went on. I loved that the house had such a personality and story of its own, it really made it a character too.

The romance was lovely, it built so slowly and sweetly and the way the affection grew between the two main characters was wonderful to read, I could read so much more of them together. Hulda and Merritt were both such interesting characters that really attached themselves to my heart. Their backstories were both so sympathetic and compelling and really made you hope things could end well for both of them.

I also loved the side characters in the book and how, along with Hulda and Merrit, they all became a very loveable found family, it was very wholesome.

Overall, it was a very enjoyable book with a sweet romance and also quite a dark, suspenseful fantasy plot. It was a well written and made me very interested to read more from the author.

BOOKS | Review: The Modern Faerie Tales:Tithe; Valiant; Ironside by Holly Black

Name: The Modern Faerie Tales:Tithe; Valiant; Ironside

Author: Holly Black

Publisher: Simon Schuster Children's UK

Date published: July 2019

Genre: Fiction, young adult, fantasy, romance, urban fantasy

Pages: 785

Rating: 5/5

 

In Tithe, sixteen-year-old Kaye is a modern nomad. Fierce and independent, she drifts from place to place with her mother’s rock band until an ominous attack forces Kaye back to her childhood home. There, amid the blue-collar New Jersey backdrop, Kaye finds herself an unwilling pawn in an ancient and violent power struggle between two rival faerie kingdoms - a struggle that could very well mean her death.
In Valiant, the companion to Tithe, seventeen-year-old Valerie runs away to New York City, trying to escape a life that has utterly betrayed her. Sporting a new identity, she takes up with a gang of squatters who live in the city’s labyrinthine subway system. But there’s something eerily beguiling about Val’s new friends. When one talks Val into tracking down the lair of a mysterious creature, Val finds herself torn between her affection for an honorable monster and her fear of what her new friends are becoming.
In Ironside, the sequel to Tithe, the time has come for Roiben’s coronation. Uneasy in the midst of the malevolent Unseelie Court, pixie Kaye is sure of only one thing - her love for Roiben. But when Kaye drunkenly declares herself to Roiben, he sends her on a seemingly impossible quest to find a faerie who can tell a lie. Unable to see Roiben until she has fulfilled his quest, Kaye finds herself in the center of the battle of wits and weapons being waged over his throne.

- From Goodreads.

Holly Black's style is always so enjoyable to read, she can write really thoughtfully and include really vivid descriptions, but also have a lot of short, sharp and fun narration and dialogue.

I love that the faeries and other magical creatures that she includes can be really dark and twisted, they are definitely not human and they really feel dangerous, sinister and unpredictable.

Tithe

I think this story really shows that Holly Black can pack a lot into a short story and make it immersive and have us get to know the characters and world well even when we do not have as much time as we would in a longer story. 

I really liked Kaye and Roiben, they both felt very unique, Kaye was so vibrant and full of charm and Roiben was so fascinating and mysterious, it was exciting to see them meet and come to know each other and see how they quickly became important to each other.

Valiant

I thought the characters in this story were very intriguing too, they all had a lot of personality and were fun to learn about. Even though Val and Ravus were both going through painful experiences, they both had good hearts underneath it all and slowly became able to trust and help each other and I loved how that was done. 

The plot was truly a rollercoaster and I really had no idea what was going to happen, it was thrilling to read and really kept me turning the pages.

I enjoyed how it linked back to Tithe and how it included little references to that story, it stood well on its own but it also worked well as a follow-on story.

Ironside

It was exciting to be back with Kaye and Roiben again and to see how their story continued, and how it all tied together with everything that had happened in Valiant. It was very fast-paced and intense and always kept me guessing about what the ending would be.

The Lament of Lutie-Loo

It was fun to read a story from Lutie's perspective, Holly Black wrote her voice in a great, light-hearted way that worked well even in the darker moments.

It was exciting to read plot that would lead into The Cruel Prince and to see characters from that trilogy, it was fun to have more insight into what led to the events of that book.

 

Overall, I really enjoyed all three of the stories, and the bonus story in this edition, they were all very captivating and full of energy. I can definitely see how Holly Black went on to write the Folk of the Air trilogy after this as she definitely started to create a fascinating world full of trickster faeries in these stories.

BOOKS | Review: Ten Thousand Stitches by Olivia Atwater

Name: Ten Thousand Stitches (Regency Faerie Tales series #2)

Author: Olivia Atwater

Publisher: Orbit

Date published: July 2022

Genre: Fiction, adult, romance, historical, fantasy, fairy tales

Pages: 245

Rating: 5/5

Regency housemaid Euphemia Reeves has acquired a faerie godfather. Unfortunately, he has no idea what he's doing.
Effie has most inconveniently fallen in love with the dashing Mr Benedict Ashbrooke. There's only one problem; Effie is a housemaid, and a housemaid cannot marry a gentleman. It seems that Effie is out of luck until she stumbles into the faerie realm of Lord Blackthorn, who is only too eager to help Effie win Mr Ashbrooke's heart. All he asks in return is that Effie sew ten thousand stitches onto his favourite jacket.
Effie has heard rumours about what happens to those who accept help from faeries, but life as a maid at Hartfield is so awful that she is willing to risk even her immortal soul for a chance at something better. Now, she has one hundred days - and ten thousand stitches - to make Mr Ashbrooke fall in love and propose... if Lord Blackthorn doesn't wreck things by accident, that is. For Effie's greatest obstacle might well prove to be Lord Blackthorn's overwhelmingly good intentions.

- From Goodreads.

Ten Thousand Stitches had the same heartwarming, whimsical, and humourous writing style as Half a Soul, with similar messaging that was both emotional, meaningful and hopeful while having a realistic, thoughtful, and sometimes quite serious undercurrent, all while still managing to have a different plot and distinct characters.

Lord Blackthorn was quite a unique character, who still to had the dangerous element of being a faerie while also being very sweet and loveable and endearing and I loved seeing him learn and change over the course of the story. His romance with Effie was so heartwarming and made me so happy to read.

Effie was a wonderful main character, I loved how she learnt more about herself and how she discovered the effect she had on people around her and how she could help them.

The author still writes female friendships very well, I loved Effie and Lydia's friendship and how they cared about each other so much.

I still found the world to be inventive and I enjoyed learning more about it and seeing it from a different perspective than we did in Half a Soul. It felt both realistic and whimsical, and all the descriptions were lovely to read, especially whenever we went into Faerie and saw the magical home of Lord Blackthorn.

I will definitely continue to read more books in this series and anything else the author writes. I really enjoy her writing style and everything I have read from her so far has just made me so delighted.

BOOKS | Review: Heart of the Sun Warrior by Sue Lynn Tan

Name: Heart of the Sun Warrior (The Celestial Kingdom duology #2)

Author: Sue Lynn Tan

Publisher: HarperVoyager

Date published: November 2022

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, adventure, romance, mythology, retellings

Pages: 465

Rating: 4/5

This review contains moderate spoilers.

After winning her mother’s freedom from the Celestial Emperor, Xingyin thrives in the enchanting tranquility of her home. But her fragile peace is threatened by the discovery of a strange magic on the moon, and the unsettling changes in the Celestial Kingdom as the emperor tightens his grip on power.
While Xingyin is determined to keep clear of the rising danger, the discovery of a shocking truth spurs her into a perilous confrontation. Forced to flee her home once more, Xingyin and her companions venture to unexplored lands of the Immortal Realm, encountering legendary creatures and shrewd monarchs, beloved friends and bitter adversaries. With alliances shifting quicker than the tides, Xingyin has to overcome past grudges and enmities to forge a new path forward, seeking aid where she never imagined she would.
As an unspeakable terror sweeps across the realm, Xingyin must uncover the truth of her heart and claw her way through devastation - to rise against this evil before it destroys everything she holds dear, and the worlds she has grown to love... even if doing so demands the greatest price of all.

- From Goodreads.

I did enjoy this book, but there were a few things that meant I did not love it as much as Daughter of the Moon Goddess. Some of the events that set the plot of Heart of the Sun Warrior in motion did not seem that plausible to me, I could easily believe that the Celestial Emperor would use any excuse to punish Xingyin and her mother, but her mother's actions that lead to them being unjustly punished did seem a little out of character for her, a little more naive than I expected her to be since she was mostly quite a wise character.

I definitely still felt attached to the characters, I felt very emotional when they did, and felt their pain and worry and heartbreak, some parts of the story even made me cry.

Wenzhi was a character that I found a little more frustrating in this book. I still liked him and found the dynamic between him and Xingyin interesting, especially as they became allies, but there were a few times I did not enoy reading scenes with him in. Mostly it was because it seemed like he was not always listening when Xingyin told him what she wanted or he would push a little too much against her boundaries. He never went too far but it was enough to be annoying when it did happen.

I still really loved Liwei and worried for him, and wanted him and Xingyin to be able to work things and out and end the book at a good place together.

I also still loved Xingin's character, she struggled a lot and faced a lot of difficulties, but she still managed to be brave and tried to be kind and made the choice to be caring and take the better path even when it was not easy. I really liked that the author showed how difficult it was for her to be brave and keep going, to be heroic even when it was really hard and terrifying, even when she did not want to do something because she was scared, she did it anyway because she knew she needed to.

I did begin to miss the plot of the first book, the episodic storytelling style that slowly built to the more thrilling climax. This book in comparison had a more fast paced plot throughout, which was not really a fault of the book as it was a sequel that followed on from the first book, so it was propelled forward by the events of that book and could not slow back down. It was still well-plotted and the lovely writing style was still there, but the plot of the first book was just something I really enjoyed so I did miss it while I was reading this one.

I felt a bit conflicted about the ending, I was definitely happpy with some of it, I think the villain was defeated in a satisfying way and I was glad some of the characters I loved survived and found peace, but other parts of it were not as satisfying and I am still not sure how I feel about them. I was glad we saw Xingyin taking time to heal and recover at the end, as it felt realistic that she would be so effected by everything and even if I was not sure how I felt about how it all wrapped up, I was glad to see Xingyin finding happiness.

BOOKS | Review: Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan

Name: Daughter of the Moon Goddess (The Celestial Kingdom duology #1)

Author: Sue Lynn Tan

Publisher: HarperVoyager

Date published: January 2022

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, romance, retellings, mythology, adventure

Pages: 512

Rating: 5/5

This review contains mild spoilers.

Growing up on the moon, Xingyin is accustomed to solitude, unaware that she is being hidden from the feared Celestial Emperor who exiled her mother for stealing his elixir of immortality. But when Xingyin’s magic flares and her existence is discovered, she is forced to flee her home, leaving her mother behind.
Alone, powerless, and afraid, she makes her way to the Celestial Kingdom, a land of wonder and secrets. Disguising her identity, she seizes an opportunity to learn alongside the emperor's son, mastering archery and magic, even as passion flames between her and the prince.
To save her mother, Xingyin embarks on a perilous quest, confronting legendary creatures and vicious enemies across the earth and skies. But when treachery looms and forbidden magic threatens the kingdom, she must challenge the ruthless Celestial Emperor for her dream - striking a dangerous bargain in which she is torn between losing all she loves or plunging the realm into chaos.

- From Goodreads.

I had a really enjoyable time reading this book. The writing style and pacing really fit with the retelling genre as it really felt like being told an old story from mythology. I liked how at first we were told smaller stories of the journey that Xingyin was on and then these smaller parts all started to build together towards a larger epic climax that was so exhilarating to read.

It was wonderful to follow Xingyin as the main character, she was so kind-hearted and thoughtful. I liked how she always tried to learn from every experience she went through and was aware of herself and both her her flaws and her strengths. She never wanted to hurt someone just because they had hurt her and I admired her strength and determination for getting through to the end.

The other characters were well written too, they were all interesting and multi-dimensional, Liwei was especially a favourite. He had a lot of heart and charm and I loved his relationship with Xingyin and how tender their feelings for each other were.

Captain Wenzhi was also an interesting character that was introduced a little later on. I do not usually like love triangles but I felt it was done well here because it was still focused on Xingyin and her story and what each person meant to her and it was always about her choices and what it would mean for her journey. I also liked how it resolved, it was a surprising twist but it worked well and still gave the characters plenty of depth.

The plot in general had quite a few surprises and was exciting to read. The action scenes were all gripping and the emotional ones really had me feeling for the characters. I felt very immersed in the world and there were a lot of beautiful descriptions of some really incredible places.

Overall, I had a really lovely time reading this book, it made me feel nostalgic for reading myths when I was younger and I really felt connected to the characters. I will definitely be reading the sequel and more from the author in general.