Tag Archives: Edelweiss

ARC Review: THE FOUR PROFOUND WEAVES by R.B. Lemberg (2020)

By Posted in Ramblings, Reviews Tagged , , , , , 3 Comments

Rating: 4/5 stars
Genre: Adult Fantasy
Year Release: September 2020
Source: Edelweiss eARC
Buy links: Bookshop | Unabridged Books | Barnes and Noble

Read an eARC from Edelweiss

In the Birdverse, weaves carry magic and four are the most profound: change, wanderlust, hope, and death. Having mastered three of them, Uiziya goes on a journey with her close friend the nameless man to learn the fourth from her aunt.

What really makes this story stand out is how often we don’t see older protagonists get to go on an adventure. There is a sense of recovery and a continued exploration of identity even at older ages. The nameless man is searching for a name, and in a world where magic stems from the number of syllables in a name, this ties in the world-building to a character arc. I won’t spoil how it ends, but it left me with light in my heart.

In addition, the villain worked so well because he represents an opposite theory . There is melancholy in that to weave from death means weaving from bones, but the framing Lemberg establishes throughout infuses the book with brilliant, resistant hope (in addition to hope being one of the weaves). The novella takes its time in these explorations, especially as it relates to connections both familial and platonic.

A delightful debut about identity, art, and friendship.

 

ARC Review: A SONG OF WRAITHS AND RUIN by Roseanne A. Brown (2020)

By Posted in Ramblings, Reviews Tagged , , , , 3 Comments

Rating: 5/5 stars
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Year Release: June 2020
Source: Edelweiss eARC
Buy links: Bookshop | Unabridged Books | Barnes and Noble

Read an Edelweiss Arc

This book had me physically reacting to every plot beat. In A Song of Wraiths & Ruin, we follow Mailk and Karina. Malik brought his sisters to the city of Ziran with him, fleeing turmoil in their homeland, only to have his younger sister Nadia kidnapped by vengeful spirit Idir. Karina is the crown princess overseeing Solstasia, a once-every-50-years celebration of a comet’s return, but there might be more magic to it than that.

I loved both the main characters. They had such compelling storylines and particularly the representation of anxiety and migraines for Malik and Karina, respectively. The way magic tied into it and affected their character arcs at all stages really worked for me. In addition, Brown crafts a swoony enemies-to-lovers story between them, as they both want to sacrifice the other to save their families. The side characters also kick as, and, again, I audibly gasped at the reveals throughout the way.

The world-building in this one is a delight for anyone looking for dubious politics, betrayals, and intrigue. The framing of the Championship helped give the story a strong sense of pacing. As most people know, I am a fan of attempted necromancy and spirits that speak to the main characters.

An epic tale inspired by West African folklore with all of my favorite tropes wrapped into one fantastic package.

 

ARC Review: FELIX EVER AFTER by Kacen Callender (2020)

By Posted in Ramblings, Reviews Tagged , , , , 2 Comments

Rating: 5/5 stars
Genre: Young Adult LGBT+ Contemporary
Year Release: May 2020
Source: Edelweiss eARC

Read an ARC granted through Edelweiss

This book captures so many energies and experiences into one beautiful narrative about a Black queer trans teen’s first love, which includes a mystery of who would go so far as to publish Felix’s dead name and pictures of him pre-transition.

What really stuck out to me is just how much care had been taken to depict a group of queer kids of various identities and sexualities, especially those who are still questioning. Identity is not a static thing, and the way Felix has the space to explore his on page felt authentic and brutally honest. What came as a welcome surprse was the way the book also addressed bigotry and prejudices within the LGBT+ Community, especially around Pride when the novel takes place. While there is a clear villain, there were opportunities for characters to make mistakes, take ownership, and work together to move forward. That space for forgiveness made my heart swell, even as I rode with Felix from the lowest lows to the highest highs.

In addition, Callender beautifully captures the atmosphere and energy of a summer in New York City, in boroughs other than Manhattan. The little details sprinkled throughout felt really immersive, from the “show time” guys to the descriptions of outfits that hipsters wear in the city.

Felix Ever After tugs at the heartstrings in all the best ways, a perfect read for summer and for any queer person who wants to feel reassured of their beauty and sense of belonging just as they are.

ARC Review: RACE THE SANDS by Sarah Beth Durst (2020)

By Posted in Ramblings, Reviews Tagged , , , 2 Comments

Rating: 5/5 stars
Genre: Adult Fantasy
Year Release: April 2020
Source: Edelweiss ARC

Read an ARC acquired via Edelweiss

This standalone fantasy has everything: political intrigue,  a death-based magic system, invented religion, and demon racing. In the desert world of Becar, people are reincarnated upon death and the worst of the worst are reincarnated as kehoks, or demons that are the dream spawn of Simic monster hybrids (see examples here). Tamra Velras is a down-on-her-luck trainer of kehoks, and buys one with the intent to fix her reputation after an accident the previous racing season. Raia is a young woman on the run from her controlling family and sees a chance for freedom in becoming a rider. But a conspiracy is brewing and their kehok may have all the answers.

The world of this novel has so many details. It feels lived in, with its own traditions and a tightly wound belief system which ties into the magic. The kehoks are alluring and terrifying, and it’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of the races. In addition, their existence opens up an in-book quandary about whether we live for the today or hope for better lots in the future.

Which leads us to the characters. I loved them all. Everyone had a fully fleshed out backstory, with Tamra fiercely protecting the life she’d built and Raia’s search for the family she never had. Even the politicians and augurs (priests) had such intricately woven machinations, I could not wait to see what happened next in either story line. The way these two different threads came together in the very end is a plotter’s envy. I dropped my jaw on several occasions.

A thrilling and enthralling stand alone which hits the right notes for any fantasy lover with expertly placed plot twists and a heart rooted in destiny vs. choices and in found family.

ARC Review: DON’T CALL THE WOLF by Aleksandra Ross (2020)

By Posted in Ramblings, Reviews Tagged , , , 3 Comments

Rating: 4/5 stars
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Year Release: April 2020
Source: Edelweiss ARC

Read an ARC acquired via Edelweiss

Content and trigger warnings include: Death of siblings, death of friends, light body horror

With so much secondary-world young adult fantasy taking place in a vaguely-Russian and vaguely-Eastern-European-inspired aesthetic, I was beyond excited for a book that went into specific folktales from my home country of Poland. Largely inspired by “The Glass Mountain,” this dual-POV story tells of a Wolf-lord trying to discover what happened to his brothers as they went back to the Moving Mountains and a forest queen trying to save her kingdom from new devils.

I really enjoyed the world-building in this one. The story takes place in a more technology-advanced world with firearms alongside swords, where magic is something studied in schools, and there’s a whole society of Unnaturalists. In addition to the fantastic mix of monsters, these details made the world feel lived in. My skin crawled at every mention of the strzygi, but even more so at the ways the village people deal with them. It all felt familiar, but awfully specific, which is a great balance when approaching retellings.

Family both found and given presents strongly in this work as well. It features on a variety of levels, but most of those veer into spoiler-territory. I particularly enjoyed Ren’s arc because the pay-off on destiny vs. work is just so good. The pacing is just right from start to finish. The way Ross peppers in details about Lukasz’s brothers also weave so naturally into the narrative, without having to be so explicit about what took place in the past vs. the present.

A whimsical fairy tale from start to finish featuring fearsome dragons, brave hunters, headstrong princesses, and wild magic based on Polish folklore.

ARC Review: THE DEEP by Alma Katsu (2020)

By Posted in Ramblings, Reviews Tagged , , , , 2 Comments

Rating: 5/5 stars
Genre: Adult historical horror
Year Release: 2020
Source: Edelweiss

Read an eARC off Edelweiss

Having loved Katsu’s previous historical horror, The Hunger, I had high expectations for her second. The Deep is a fictional take on the events of the Titanic and the Britannic, ships which had sunk in very different circumstances, but shared a few passengers, including main character Annie Hebbley.

Katsu has such a knack for managing several timelines and points of view in one narrative. In addition to the great historical tragedies, Katsu delves deeply into one personal tragedy which spans both ships’ journeys. The one that carries the story—the Fletcher family consisting of Caroline, Mark, Ondine, and the late Lilian Notting—was particularly compelling. It features the promise of better, jealousy, terrible choices, and redemptive arcs which try to right the wrongs of the past. Katsu also narrows in on the stories of other passengers, like the Astors, Guggenheim, and more. The depth of research simmers on page, maintaining immersive dread.

Much like in The Hunger, each character gets ample page time. The supernatural, folkloric scares in this one work so well because this narrative is so character-driven. The ships simply serve as a backdrop and madness thrives independent of its majesty. Personal sins and tragedies haunt everyone every step of the way, making for yet another heart-wrenching narrative.

Once again, I found myself the kind of upset in a way that makes me say thank you.

ARC Review: ALL YOUR TWISTED SECRETS by Diana Urban (2020)

By Posted in Ramblings, Reviews Tagged , , , , 1 Comment

Rating: 5/5 stars
Genre: Young Adult Thriller
Year Release: March 2020
Source: Edelweiss ARC

Read an ARC acquired via Edelweiss

Six students—star athlete, queen bee, valedictorian, stoner, loner, and music geek—are invited to a scholarship dinner where they are presented with a bomb, a syringe, and a note saying that they choose one of them to die or they do.

This book delivers on all the tensions expected from a locked-room thriller. Urban expertly balances the stress in that room with the events of the year prior. Each revelations feeds into the next interaction. It is stressful from start to finish, but the teens feel so real, that the jokes amid the horror stick every landing. The author writes such relatable teen characters—and does a careful job not falling into the trope of cliques. I found myself both cringing and nodding along during the “before” segments because, wow.

There is not much I can say about the ending because when all the secrets come out, your jaw will be on the floor, and then you’ll have to read the book again with a new perspective.

ARC Review: WHEN WE WERE MAGIC by Sarah Gailey (2020)

By Posted in Ramblings, Reviews Tagged , , , , , 2 Comments

Rating: 5/5 stars
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Year Release: March 2020
Source: Edelweiss ARC

Read an ARC acquired via Edelweiss

Sarah Gailey has such a knack for capturing the feeling of hopeless effort. In this young adult novel, Alexis accidentally kills a boy at prom and it is up to her and five magic friends to figure out what to do with the body. Strange things start happening around them, all while senior year winds down to a close and the feelings Alexis has for one of her friends stir stronger than ever.

I don’t think I’ve seen such accurate representation of the petulance, uncertainty, and stress that comes with being a teenager. Adding stresses like keeping your magic secret from those outside your circle and concealing that terrible thing you did definitely heightens the ante. What also really stood out to me was the fantastic balance between Alexis’s found family and true family. Because I read a lot of fantasy young adult, parents tend to be absent, either dead or evil. Here, Dad and Pop are so supportive and definitely are trying their best in terms of being parents.

This book is very light on the world-building, but that’s because it is so character-driven. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter where the magic came from or how it shifts as the coven tries to solve its big problem. The story is tightly woven in its emotional arcs that ultimately, the real magic was also the friends we had along the way.

We have been blessed in these last twelve months of works by Sarah Gailey. While I hope they get some rest, I cannot wait to see what they come up with next.

 

ARC Review: DAUGHTER FROM THE DARK by Marina & Sergey Dyachenko (2020)

By Posted in Ramblings, Reviews Tagged , , , 3 Comments

Rating: 4/5 stars
Genre: Adult Fantasy
Year Release: February 2020
Source: Edelweiss ARC

Read an ARC acquired via Edelweiss

Dyachenko books are a delightful antithesis to the Russian aesthetic prevalent in many fantasy novels which had come out in the last few years. They strike gold again with the utterly unrelatable, but delightfully strange Daughter from the Dark. Radio DJ Aspirin encounters a young girl holding a bear on a walk home from his club DJ side gig. A group of teens and their dogs harass her, until the bear she holds turns into a demon and gets rid of the problem. Aspirin takes her home and he suddenly becomes father figure to a child with no past who may also be a demon.

Aspirin is such an asshole from start to finish. There was something refreshing, as parenthood doesn’t necessarily turn someone into a good person. Being that he is in his mid-thirties, there is a stubbornness to his privileged douchebaggery that made the reader want to find out more what happens, but also low-key cheering on Alyona as she makes an utter mess of the life he had created for himself. Their dynamic is just so good. She confronts him about the ways he is entirely difficult. He is completely trapped in the ways he cannot just get rid of her and simply has to take it.

What I would have liked to see more of is the context behind Alyona and Mishutka. That part of the book goes largely unexplored, which I guess, makes sense, since the reader only see the entire story from very human Aspirin’s point of view. It made for an interesting read, but coming out of it, the number of unanswered questions has not shifted whatsoever.

An excellent addition to the canon of “asshole becomes an unwitting father to a child of destiny.”

ARC Review: RED HOOD by Elana K. Arnold (2020)

By Posted in Ramblings, Reviews Tagged , , , , 2 Comments

Rating: 4/5 stars
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Year Release: 2020
Source: Edelweiss ARC

Read an ARC acquired via Edelweiss
Trigger warnings: gore, murder, sexual assault (off-page, but heavily implied)

I devoured Damsel—Arnold’s other take on classic tales—last winter break. The way the story examined common tropes of princess narratives blew my mind, so naturally, I couldn’t wait for Arnold’s next work. Red Hood uses Little Red Riding Hood as a vehicle for a tale examining feminine power, menstruation, and how to survive in a world that protects awful men.

Though mostly downplayed, I really liked the fantasy elements in this. The villains in this book are men who have the inexplicable ability to turn into wolves. Bisou, our main character whose introspection and journey we follow through a second-person narrative, magically has the ability to sense when these men are afoot, and when wolves attack. I wish this element had been more explored from a world-building standpoint, but it very much fit what Arnold seemed to be doing with the narrative.

I especially admired how Bisou and her friends gain more agency as the story progresses, turning into a coven alongside Mémé, Bisou’s grandmother and parental figure.  The atmosphere here is also exquisite. Arnold works magic when it comes to melding contemporary and real-life fears with the terrors of the fantastic. The mysterious wolf attacks are horrifying, but so is the awfulness that is being a girl in high school.

A must-read for fans of more literary prose and loose but terrifying takes on classic fairy tales.