Review: A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang

Xishi’s beauty is seen as a blessing to the villagers of Yue—convinced that the best fate for a girl is to marry well and support her family. When Xishi draws the attention of the famous young military advisor, Fanli, he presents her with a rare opportunity: to use her beauty as a weapon. One that could topple the rival neighboring kingdom of Wu, improve the lives of her people, and avenge her sister’s murder. All she has to do is infiltrate the enemy palace as a spy, seduce their immoral king, and weaken them from within.

Trained by Fanli in everything from classical instruments to concealing emotion, Xishi hones her beauty into the perfect blade. But she knows Fanli can see through every deception she masters, the attraction between them burning away any falsehoods.

Once inside the enemy palace, Xishi finds herself under the hungry gaze of the king’s advisors while the king himself shows her great affection. Despite his gentleness, a brutality lurks and Xishi knows she can never let her guard down. But the higher Xishi climbs in the Wu court, the farther she and Fanli have to fall—and if she is unmasked as a traitor, she will bring both kingdoms down.

📌 Disclaimer: I received an e-arc for review from the publisher  

 A Song to Drown Rivers was an unexpected favourite. I don't why but I didn't expect to love it as much as I did. I like that it's a standalone, as much as I enjoy a good series, it nice sometimes to have a whole story in one. 

The main character Xishi, and her love interest, Fanli, were well both well rounded and layered. Both were interesting and not cardboard cut outs. I was rooting for Xishi from the get go. Plus, the romance between them was so good. If you like slow burn romances that brim with tension and yearning then this is the book for you.

The imagery the author painted was so vivid, like I could imagine everything playing out in front of me. The plot was well executed as well. I was hooked to my kindle from start to finish. Such a compelling and additive story. 

The ending had me torn. On one hand I thought it was perfect, on the other I was kind of heart broken. Still, A Song to Drown Rivers is definitely one of my favourite books of the year. 

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Review: Now Comes the Mist by Julie C. Dao

Lucy Westenra is beautiful, rich, loved by three men—every inch a lady. But beneath this sparkling, flirtatious facade, she is fascinated by death, which has stalked her throughout her short life. For her, the dead do not slip away easily, as they do for her best friend, Mina; they linger.

When Lucy departs for Whitby, her nightly sleepwalks introduce her to the mysterious Vlad, who seems to see parts of her she has never let show before. Vlad makes her an Every century, he seeks out the “perfect woman of the age,” who embodies all the values of her society, to live with him in immortality—and Lucy could very well be this woman. For the first time, she feels herself able to share her darker side with someone. Thinking herself dreaming, she agrees to cheat death with him.

When Vlad finally appears in the light, it is aboard a ship covered in corpses. He toys with Lucy and mocks her in Mina’s presence. And one night, he drains a corpse dry right before her eyes. He is a vampire, a monster ready to take her. He expects a good Victorian lady, appalled by his darkness, a victim. But Lucy is only enraptured. When Vlad reacts with violence, Lucy has no choice but to fight for her agency, even if it means giving up her humanity. And her tormentor will soon find she is no easy opponent...

The first book of a duology that retells Dracula from the point of view of Lucy Westenra, this gothic romance is perfect for fans of Penny Dreadful and Danielle L. Jensen.

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📌 Disclaimer: I received an e-arc for review from the publisher  
📌 Publication date: 01/10/2024

I have been in the biggest reading slump of my life and this is exactly what I needed to get me out of it. Now Comes the Mist is a Dracula re-telling told from the point of view of Lucy. I listened to Dracula on audiobook in 2019 and really enjoyed the experience. This is a re-telling that is just as gothic and atmospheric. 

My only complaint is regarding Lucy. While for the most part I liked and felt for her, she was also quite frustrating. Specifically when it came to decision making. She acted without thinking things through, and didn't deal well with the consequences. 

I will say that if action is what you're after there's not much here. What you'll find instead is ball gowns, flirting (a love square), and a very creepy and manipulative vampire. We don't spend enough time with any of the love interests to really be able to root for them. However, I will say that I did like them all and they each had a distinct personality. On the subject of relationships, the friendship between Lucy and Mina was heart-warming. 

Overall, Now Comes the Mist was a fast paced read. If you want a Dracula re-telling with a POC cast and a bold Lucy that takes agency of her life, look no further. 

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Review: The Night Ends with Fire by K.X. Song

The Three Kingdoms are at war, but Meilin’s father refuses to answer the imperial draft. Trapped by his opium addiction, he plans to sell Meilin for her dowry. But when Meilin discovers her husband-to-be is another violent, ill-tempered man, she realizes that nothing will change for her unless she takes matters into her own hands.

The very next day, she disguises herself as a boy and enlists in her father’s place.

In the army, Meilin's relentless hard work brings her recognition, friendship—and a growing closeness with Sky, a prince turned training partner. But has she simply exchanged one prison for another? As her kingdom barrels toward destruction, Meilin begins to have visions of a sea dragon spirit that offers her true power and freedom, but with a deadly price.

With the future of the Three Kingdoms hanging in the balance, Meilin will need to decide whom to trust—Sky, who inspires her loyalty and love; the sea dragon spirit, who has his own murky agenda; or an infuriating enemy prince who makes her question everything she once knew—about her kingdom and about her own heart.

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📌 Disclaimer: I received an e-arc for review from the publisher  
📌 Publication date: 02/07/2024

The Night Ends with Fire is a Mulan re-telling with a twist. I love Mulan so of course I had to pick it up, and it 100% delivered. I will say that the pacing might not work for everyone, as it jumps from one thing to the next quite a bit. I'm usually not a fan of that as I enjoy the journey, however, it worked here. In my opinion, anything extra added between the time jumps would have felt like filler. Instead the pacing was fast and the action kept me hooked and eager to continue reading.

The main character, Meilin, wants more than the lot women are afforded in this world. What sets her apart from your typical heroine is that she is unapologetically ambition and although she has to save the world, her reason for wanting to do so is not selfless. She doesn't want to save the world for the sake of humanity, she wants to save it to protect her loved ones. I really liked her relationship with her step-mum, it was heartwarming and a change from the usual horrible step-mum set up. She also tentatively develops a friendship with another female character, and I hope she encounters more in the sequel as I love seeing women supporting women.  

The world building was straight forward with no info dumps, making this the perfect read for fantasy novices. I found the concept of the spirits and the magic tied to them to be fascinating. 

Another aspect of The Night Ends with Fire I enjoyed is the romance. I will say that there is a love triangle, but personally it didn't bother me. I know who I'm rooting for and hope that he is end game. I mean, the development of his relationship with Meilin was naturally paced and such a good slow burn.  

Needless to say, I can't wait for the release of the conclusion to the story! 

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Review: Ghost Roast by Shawnelle & Shawnee Gibbs, Illustrated by Emily Cannon

For as long as she can remember, Chelsea Grant has tried everything she can think of to distance herself from the disastrous damage her father does to her social life. It's not easy to shake her reputation as Ghost Girl when Dad keeps advertising his business as a "paranormal removal expert" in big, bold, loud letters all over New Orleans!

This year, Chelsea's all grown up, attending one of the most prestigious high schools in the city, and she's finally made friends with the popular crowd. Things are looking up—until a night on the town backfires spectacularly, landing her in hot water at home. Her punishment? Working for her dad at Paranormal Removal Services. All. Summer.

Worst of all, her new job reveals an unexpected secret she has to keep: While Dad hunts ghosts with his own DIY tech, Chelsea can actually see them. And when she meets Oliver, a friendly spirit, at the fancy mansion her dad is getting a handsome fee to exorcize, she realizes she has to save his after-life, even if it risks everything her father's worked for.

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📌 Disclaimer: I received an advance reader's copy for review from the publisher  

My favourite thing about Ghost Roast is the stunning colour palette and art style. It really brought the story to life for me.

I think this is the perfect graphic novel for the target YA audience. Chelsea struggles with a lot of things that I'm sure teens can relate to such as fitting in at school, coming from a low income background, divorced parents...

The start of Ghost Roast was a little slow, but as the story progressed and the action picked up I become more engaged. The overall tone of it gave me ghost buster vibes, as Chelsea gets roped into helping her dad with his paranormal removal services business over the summer. Apart from the ghost busting, or shall I say roasting shenanigans it also dealt with some heavier topics. The manor they were hired to investigate was a former plantation so there was discussions of the slave trade and the treatment of POC during that time period.  

I have to admit I wasn't the biggest fan of Chelsea's friends and the way they treated her. However, it was a realistic portrayal and my opinion has more to do with me no longer being a teen and as such viewing them from an adult lens. I did like Chelsea's dad's assistant Russ, though. A guy of few words who was wise for his age. I also enjoyed seeing Chelsea come into her own and accept herself for who she was. Plus, the not quite romance with Oliver, the ghost she encounters at the manor, was cute. 

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Review: A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal

On the streets of White Roaring, Arthie Casimir is a criminal mastermind and collector of secrets. Her prestigious tearoom transforms into an illegal bloodhouse by dark, catering to the vampires feared by society. But when her establishment is threatened, Arthie is forced to strike an unlikely deal with an alluring adversary to save it—and she can’t do the job alone.

Calling upon a band of misfits, Arthie formulates a plan to infiltrate the dark and glittering vampire society known as the Athereum. But not every member of her crew is on her side, and as the truth behind the heist unfolds, Arthie finds herself in the midst of a conspiracy that will threaten the world as she knows it.

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📌 Disclaimer: I received an e-arc for review from the publisher  
📌 Publication date: 22/02/2024

We're nearing the end of 2023 and I have found my first five star read of the year! I think we can all agree that title comparisons are rarely accurate, but trust me when I say that if you're a fan of Six of Crows you will love this. It has all the same ingredients - found family, a diverse cast of characters, a heist, and ship worthy romances. On top of all that there is an all POC cast, vampires, and colonialism! 

A Tempest of Tea is told from the point of view of Arthie, Jin, and Flick. Going back to the Six of Crows comparison, Arthie is Kaz Brekker coded and Jin is Jesper coded, in my opinion. I really enjoyed their brother/sister type relationship, and how Jin balanced Arthie's serious nature with his charm. Both are orphans who have worked hard to make a name for themselves. Completing this trio, there is Flick. She is from a more privileged background and while not quite as interesting as Arthie and Jin, she is no less likable. 

I had a hard time putting A Tempest of Tea down, it was action packed from the get go and the short chapters made it fast paced. It delves into talks of colonialism, which I wasn't expecting but loved. There is even a East India Company adjacent called the East Jeevant Company. I also found the heist aspect of the story, from the planning to the actual execution, to be fun. Add in Vampires, my favourite supernatural creature, and a tea room that turns into a bloodhouse for vampires by night, and you've got yourself a winner. 

There are two central romances. Arthie's romantic arc involves a love triangle, but I say that in the loosest sense of the word. I wasn't really keen on the obvious love interest. However, the second and more subtle love interest, Matteo, had me intrigued as soon as he appeared on page. There isn't really anything concrete between them romantically, apart from a very small sprinkle of tension. However, I can see something potentially developing in the sequel. At least, I hope so!

I will say that to me the twist was quite obvious from the start, but that honestly didn't take away from my enjoyment. If anything, I was more invested and wanted to see how it would play out.  If you can't already tell, I absolutely devoured A Tempest of Tea and am so, so excited about the sequel!

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Review: All This Twisted Glory by Tahereh Mafi

As the long-lost heir to the Jinn throne, Alizeh has finally found her people—and she might’ve found her crown. Cyrus, the mercurial ruler of Tulan, has offered her his kingdom in a twisted exchange: one that would begin with their marriage and end with his murder.

Cyrus’s dark reputation precedes him; all the world knows of his blood-soaked past. Killing him should be easy—and accepting his offer might be the only way to fulfill her destiny and save her people. But the more Alizeh learns of him, the more she questions whether the terrible stories about him are true.

Ensnared by secrets, Cyrus has ached for Alizeh since she first appeared in his dreams many months ago. Now that he knows those visions were planted by the devil, he can hardly bear to look at her—much less endure her company. But despite their best efforts to despise each other, Alizeh and Cyrus are drawn together over and over with an all-consuming thirst that threatens to destroy them both.

Meanwhile, Prince Kamran has arrived in Tulan, ready to exact revenge…

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📌 Disclaimer: I received an e-arc for review from the publisher    

📌 Publication date: 15/02/2024

All This Twisted Glory was one of my most anticipated releases of 2024. I loved the first two books in the series, so it hurts to give this one 3.5 stars. 

Let's get into why. I enjoyed the small glimpse of Cyrus we got at the end of book one and hoped we would see more of him in the sequel. Also, that he would become a love interest, as I wasn't a fan of Kamran. Tahereh delivered both of these things in These Infinite Threads. I loved the development and exploration of Alizeh's and Cyrus' relationship in the sequel, and how much page time was spent on this. One of my issues, however, with All This Twisted Glory was that Cyrus' POV was included. Let me preface this by saying that I was actually pleased when I first heard that his POV was going to be included. It's unfortunate then that it became one of the downfalls of the book. Being in Cyrus' head changed my view of him. He went from being a cool, mysterious love interest to an angsty emo boy. The internal angst and lack of dialogue from his POV was too much. Don't get me wrong, I felt for him because he has certainly been through a lot.  It's just that the constant moping got tiring after a while. The romance was the thing I was most looking forward to, so it's a shame that having his perspective somewhat killed it for me. It was better when we only saw him through Alizeh's eyes, in my opinion. Another frustrating thing is that while we do learn more about Cyrus, we still don't know why he entered into the bargain with the devil. 

I forgave the sequel for the lack of action, but All This Twisted Glory was lacking in action as well. It was mostly full of angst and internal dialogue. I love angst and yearning, but being three books into the series I needed more, I wanted to see Alizeh finally become a queen and rally her people. Still, I'm continuing to root for her. With her kindness and compassion, she reminds me of a Disney princess. 

I continue not to like Kamran, but his POV was the best as it featured Miss Huda, Deen, Omid, and Hazan. They brought the much needed comic relief and dialogue to the story. I also confess to shipping Kamran and Miss Huda. Like the tension and quips between these two? It was giving hate to love. His reactions to her and the way she wound him up was so funny. I mean, when he finally gets over Alizeh and opens his eyes to what a catch Miss Huda is, I can see her helping him on his journey to become the man he has the potential to be.

Despite some issues, I'm still invested and looking forward to continuing with the series. 

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Review: Heart of Night and Fire by Nisha J.Tuli

For years, Zarya has been trapped in a gilded prison. Her magic is forbidden, a dangerous secret—though nobody will explain why. Now she is ready to break fr
ee and find the truth.

Escaping to the dazzling city of Dharati, Zarya discovers a new world of enchantment and intrigue. With the help of seductive, blood-drinking rakshasa and magic-weaving Aazheri sorcerers, she searches for answers.

But the city is under siege. Every night, dark creatures attack. And since Zarya’s arrival they are growing stronger. To protect her new home, Zarya joins the fight.

As she battles on the walls and hunts through libraries for clues about her gifts, Zarya’s dreams are haunted by a mysterious stranger. Powerful, arrogant and handsome, Rabin sees through her secrets and ignites a desire she cannot resist. But can he be trusted?

When darkness threatens to overwhelm Dharati, Zarya is faced with a deadly choice. Will revealing her magic save the city? Or destroy everything she loves?

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📌 Disclaimer: I received an e-arc for review from the publisher   

From the acknowledgments: "For every brown girl who wanted to be the chosen one too".  I mean, to say this spoke to me would be an understatement. Heart of Night and Fire was a fun read, the perfect palate cleanser between the other books I have been reading. It features an all POC cast and is inspired by Indian mythology. I can see how some people might find Zarya to be more of a YA character than adult, but to me her rashness, and what might be seen as childish behaviour, made sense in context. Imagine being forced to live in isolation with no explanation as to why, no knowledge about your past, with only two men for company - one of whom has put a magical barrier in place to stop you from escaping. With only her romance books for company, her naivety and curiosity made sense. While I will say that she frustrated me at times, she also grew on me as not only did she develop, but her relationship with the other characters developed. 

The world was interesting and featured Rakshasa, who are basically vampire like creatures. I love vampires so that was a nice surprise. In terms of the Indian inspiration, the familiar clothes and food such as kaju katli, gulab jamun, and aloo paratha was a treat to see in a fantasy setting. 

There is a love triangle of sorts. However, by the end of the book her relationship with one of the love interests all but comes to an end and the other one we're teased with. It was obvious from the moment she started having dreams of Rabin that he was being set up as the true love interest. Zarya doesn't actually met him for real until towards the end of the book, and I have to say from what little we do see of him I was not a fan of. He came across as a hot headed alpha male.

On the other hand, Zarya's relationship with Yasen was cute. I love a good platonic relationship, and while theirs was great I thought they had more chemistry than the actual love interests. It was giving hate to love. 

With three more books to follow this was a solid introduction. 

 

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