‘Gilded’ and ‘Cursed’ by Marissa Meyer: A triumphant return to fairytale retellings, with a hot Rumpelstiltskin and a fearsome foe

Our Gilded book review, along with its follow-up Cursed, considers Marissa Meyer’s duology where a girl with the gift of gab falls in love with a helpful poltergeist. Continue reading “‘Gilded’ and ‘Cursed’ by Marissa Meyer: A triumphant return to fairytale retellings, with a hot Rumpelstiltskin and a fearsome foe”

‘Soul of the Deep’ by Natasha Bowen: A vibrant conclusion to ‘Skin of the Sea’ that explores the ramifications of war and staying true to yourself

Our Soul of the Deep book review returns to Natasha Bowen’s vibrant world filled with West African mythology, concluding the duology that began with Skin of the Sea. Continue reading “‘Soul of the Deep’ by Natasha Bowen: A vibrant conclusion to ‘Skin of the Sea’ that explores the ramifications of war and staying true to yourself”

‘Even Though I Knew the End’ by C.L. Polk: A sapphic fantasy noir with a little something for everyone

This Even Though I Knew the End book review jumps into the dark and wonderful world of Helen Brandt, a magical private investigator who sold her soul to a demon in exchange for her brother’s life. Continue reading “‘Even Though I Knew the End’ by C.L. Polk: A sapphic fantasy noir with a little something for everyone”

‘Babel’ by R.F. Kuang: A successful thematic response to ‘The Secret History’

Babel was one of the most highly anticipated books of 2022, and now that we’ve sat with it for a moment, let’s explore whether beloved author R.F. Kuang succeeded in responding to the new-age classic The Secret History by Donna Tartt, and what exactly Babel adds to the conversation. Continue reading “‘Babel’ by R.F. Kuang: A successful thematic response to ‘The Secret History’”

‘If You Could See the Sun’ by Ann Liang: This debut author shows the true dark side of academia

Our If You Could See the Sun book review explores how Ann Liang gives us a different kind of dark academia book that is rooted in the true underbelly of elite education rather than Pinterest aesthetics. Continue reading “‘If You Could See the Sun’ by Ann Liang: This debut author shows the true dark side of academia”

‘Home to the Wild’ by Francesca McMahon: The found family story you’ve been looking for

Our Home to the Wild book review considers why we find the concept of a human finding a home in the animal kingdom so appealing, as well as how author Francesca McMahon brings more emotional depth to the trope than we’ve seen before. Continue reading “‘Home to the Wild’ by Francesca McMahon: The found family story you’ve been looking for”

‘Serwa Boateng’s Guide to Vampire Hunting’ by Roseanne A. Brown: I’ve never been more terrified of fireflies

This Serwa Boateng’s Guide to Vampire Hunting book review explores Roseanne A. Brown’s spin on Ghanaian mythology and the one girl whose world is turned upside down when her parents drop her off in a too-quaint town in Maryland while they go on a dangerous hunt. Continue reading “‘Serwa Boateng’s Guide to Vampire Hunting’ by Roseanne A. Brown: I’ve never been more terrified of fireflies”

‘The Dawn of Yangchen’ by F.C. Yee: A masterclass in not underestimating your young adult audience

Our The Dawn of Yangchen book review explores how F.C. Yee deepens the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender by giving us a wonderfully realistic look at what being the “bridge between two worlds” would be like. Continue reading “‘The Dawn of Yangchen’ by F.C. Yee: A masterclass in not underestimating your young adult audience”

‘Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow’ by Gabrielle Zevin: The book that finally fixes the sympathetic nerd trope of the ‘80s

Our Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow book review explores how Gabrielle Zevin uses the world of video game design to turn pop culture tropes on their head in her highly anticipated new novel. Continue reading “‘Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow’ by Gabrielle Zevin: The book that finally fixes the sympathetic nerd trope of the ‘80s”