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The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

Title: The Bear and the Nightingale (Winternight #1)

Author: Katherine Arden

Publisher: Del Rey 2017

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 319

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: COYER; In Case You Missed It - 2017

Winter lasts most of the year at the edge of the Russian wilderness, and in the long nights, Vasilisa and her siblings love to gather by the fire to listen to their nurse’s fairy tales. Above all, Vasya loves the story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon. Wise Russians fear him, for he claims unwary souls, and they honor the spirits that protect their homes from evil.

Then Vasya’s widowed father brings home a new wife from Moscow. Fiercely devout, Vasya’s stepmother forbids her family from honoring their household spirits, but Vasya fears what this may bring. And indeed, misfortune begins to stalk the village.

But Vasya’s stepmother only grows harsher, determined to remake the village to her liking and to groom her rebellious stepdaughter for marriage or a convent. As the village’s defenses weaken and evil from the forest creeps nearer, Vasilisa must call upon dangerous gifts she has long concealed—to protect her family from a threat sprung to life from her nurse’s most frightening tales.

Plodding. That’s the one word that comes to mind in attempting a review of this book. I just couldn’t seem to stay engaged in the story or the characters. Most of the characters are highly unlikeable. It doesn’t help that we really don’t get to see much of them except of glimpses through Vasya. The main character isn’t even that interesting. Most of the story is things happening to her, not her doing things. And for that, I was just not that interested in the story at all. I do like a good Russian folk tale redone, but this one was too slow and not engaging enough to make me want to read the rest of the series.

Winternight

  • #1 The Bear and the Nightingale

  • #2 The Girl in the Tower

  • #3 The Winter of the Witch

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Next up on the TBR pile:

drop of corruption.jpg seoulmates.jpg jujutsu 20.jpg jujutsu21.jpg jujutsu22.jpg jujutsu23.jpg jujutsu24.jpg black butler.jpg jujutsu25.jpg jujutsu26.jpg jujutsu27.jpg mayor of maxwell.jpg antidote.jpg
tags: Katherine Arden, fantasy, COYER, In Case You Missed It, 3 stars, fairy tales, folklore
categories: Book Reviews
Friday 01.12.24
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Timekeeper by Tara Sim

Title: Timekeeper

Author: Tara Sim

Publisher: Sky Pony Press 2016

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 414

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Lifetime - Teenage Characters

“I was in an accident. I got out. I'm safe now.” An alternate Victorian world controlled by clock towers, where a damaged clock can fracture time—and a destroyed one can stop it completely.

A prodigy mechanic who can repair not only clockwork, but time itself, determined to rescue his father from a Stopped town.

A series of mysterious bombings that could jeopardize all of England.

A boy who would give anything to relive his past, and one who would give anything to live at all.

A romance that will shake the very foundations of time.

The first book in a dazzling new steampunk-fantasy trilogy, Timekeeper introduces a magical world of mythology and innovation that readers will never want to leave.

My mom has been wanting me to read this book for almost a year. I finally put it on my short list TBR and enjoyed it. This has a very melancholy feel to it mixed in with the fantasy and steampunk elements. I wouldn’t say that the melancholy lessened my enjoyment, but I was expecting something a bit more upbeat and glittering. Once I settled into the story, I really fell for Danny and his attempt at finding a better life for himself. Once we realize exactly who Colton is, the story kicks in and I was very interested to see where the story went. This was an intriguing story about time and love.

Timekeeper

  • #1 Timekeeper

  • #2 Chainbreaker

  • #3 Firestarter

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Next up on the TBR pile:

drop of corruption.jpg seoulmates.jpg jujutsu 20.jpg jujutsu21.jpg jujutsu22.jpg jujutsu23.jpg jujutsu24.jpg black butler.jpg jujutsu25.jpg jujutsu26.jpg jujutsu27.jpg mayor of maxwell.jpg antidote.jpg
tags: fantasy, Tara Sim, 4 stars, Lifetime
categories: Book Reviews
Wednesday 01.10.24
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman

Title: Dungeon Crawler Carl (Dungeon Crawler Carl #1)

Author: Matt Dinniman

Publisher: 2021

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 446

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Book Club - More Than 40 Chapters

The apocalypse will be televised!

A man. His ex-girlfriend's cat. A sadistic game show unlike anything in the universe: a dungeon crawl where survival depends on killing your prey in the most entertaining way possible. 

In a flash, every human-erected construction on Earth - from Buckingham Palace to the tiniest of sheds - collapses in a heap, sinking into the ground.

The buildings and all the people inside have all been atomized and transformed into the dungeon: an 18-level labyrinth filled with traps, monsters, and loot. A dungeon so enormous, it circles the entire globe.

Only a few dare venture inside. But once you're in, you can't get out. And what's worse, each level has a time limit. You have but days to find a staircase to the next level down, or it's game over. In this game, it's not about your strength or your dexterity. It's about your followers, your views. Your clout. It's about building an audience and killing those goblins with style. 

You can't just survive here. You gotta survive big.

You gotta fight with vigor, with excitement. You gotta make them stand up and cheer. And if you do have that "it" factor, you may just find yourself with a following. That's the only way to truly survive in this game - with the help of the loot boxes dropped upon you by the generous benefactors watching from across the galaxy.

They call it Dungeon Crawler World. But for Carl, it's anything but a game.

J has been trying to get me to start reading this series for a few months now. I just wasn’t really in the mood for an RPG style narration until now. Once I started, I really couldn’t put this one down. Carl and Princess Doughnut are great protagonists that you can’t help but root for. As they stumble their way through Levels 1 and 2 of the dungeon causing chaos in their wake, I was on pins and needles desperate to see what was around the next corner. I really felt like we were in a video game encountering obstacles and bosses, figuring out puzzles, and attempting to survive just one more hour. Meeting other crawlers added the human element in a decidedly non-human environment. I can’t wait to read (or listen, the audio performance is great) the next book in the series.

Dungeon Crawler Carl

  • #1 Dungeon Crawler Carl

  • #2 Carl’s Doomsday Scenario

  • #3 The Dungeon' Anarchist’s Cookbooks

  • #4 The Gate of the Feral Gods

  • #5 The Butcher’s Masquerade

  • #6 The Eye of the Bedlam Bride

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Next up on the TBR pile:

drop of corruption.jpg seoulmates.jpg jujutsu 20.jpg jujutsu21.jpg jujutsu22.jpg jujutsu23.jpg jujutsu24.jpg black butler.jpg jujutsu25.jpg jujutsu26.jpg jujutsu27.jpg mayor of maxwell.jpg antidote.jpg
tags: Matt Dinniman, fantasy, 52 Book Club, 5 stars, video games, audiobook
categories: Book Reviews
Tuesday 01.09.24
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Under the Smokestrewn Sky by A. Deborah Baker

Title: Under the Smokestrewn Sky (The Up and Under #4)

Author: A. Deborah Baker

Publisher: Tordotcom 2023

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 195

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Since stumbling from their world into the Up and Under, Avery and Zib have walked the improbable road across forests, seas and skies, finding friends in the unlikeliest of places and enemies great in number, as they make their way toward the Impossible City in the hope of finding their way home.

But the final part of their journey is filled with danger and demise. Not everyone will make it through unscathed. Not everyone will make it through alive.

We finally come to the end of Avery and Zib’s adventures in The Up and Under. Overall, I really enjoyed this series so much. There’s a bit of Alice in Wonderland in there, a bit of The Wizard of Oz, and so much wit and introspection from Seanan McGuire. Adding Jack to the mix in the last book really completed the group for the last adventure. The reveal involving the Crow Girl was just about the most perfect way to continue the story and bring the threads together. I appreciate the fact that we get a definite end to the storyline. Seeing the characters find their places was the perfect way to conclude. I’ll be excited to see what McGuire writes next.

The Up and Under

  • #1 Over the Woodward Wall

  • #2 Along the Saltwise Sea

  • #3 Into the Windwracked Wilds

  • #4 Under the Smokestrewn Sky

Next up on the TBR pile:

drop of corruption.jpg seoulmates.jpg jujutsu 20.jpg jujutsu21.jpg jujutsu22.jpg jujutsu23.jpg jujutsu24.jpg black butler.jpg jujutsu25.jpg jujutsu26.jpg jujutsu27.jpg mayor of maxwell.jpg antidote.jpg
tags: A. Deborah Baker, fantasy, Seanan McGuire, middle grade, 4 stars
categories: Book Reviews
Saturday 12.23.23
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

The Dream-Quest of Vellitt Boe by Kij Johnson

Title: The Dream-Quest of Vellitt Boe

Author: Kij Johnson

Publisher: Tor Dot Com 2016

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 166

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Professor Vellitt Boe teaches at the prestigious Ulthar Women’s College. When one of her most gifted students elopes with a dreamer from the waking world, Vellitt must retrieve her.

Such a strange retelling of a Lovecraft story. Another great read for my Nerdy Bookish Friends book club. I took this book very slow, savoring each section as I followed Boe into the unknown in pursuit of her student. The story unfolds like a dream itself, challenging the reader to determine what is real and what is fiction. Slowly, we meet more horrors in the dreaming world until Boe reaches the gate to the waking world. I’m excited to talk with all my book club friends about this book on Sunday.

Next up on the TBR pile:

drop of corruption.jpg seoulmates.jpg jujutsu 20.jpg jujutsu21.jpg jujutsu22.jpg jujutsu23.jpg jujutsu24.jpg black butler.jpg jujutsu25.jpg jujutsu26.jpg jujutsu27.jpg mayor of maxwell.jpg antidote.jpg
tags: Nerdy Bookish Friends, Kij Johnson, 4 stars, horror, fantasy
categories: Book Reviews
Saturday 12.16.23
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Magical Midlife Madness by KF Breene

Title: Magical Midlife Madness (Leveling Up #1)

Author: KF Breene

Publisher: Hazy Dawn Press 2020

Genre: Fantasy; Romance

Pages: 374

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

"Happily Ever After" wasn't supposed to come with a do-over option. But when my husband of twenty years packs up and heads for greener pastures and my son leaves for college, that's exactly what my life becomes.

Do-over.

This time, though, I plan to do things differently. Age is just a number, after all, and at forty I'm ready to carve my own path.

Eager for a fresh start, I make a somewhat unorthodox decision and move to a tiny town in the Sierra foothills. I'll be taking care of a centuries old house that called to me when I was a kid. It's just temporary, I tell myself. It'll just be for a while.

That is, until I learn what the house really is, something I never could've imagined.

Thankfully forty isn't too old to start an adventure, because that's exactly what I do. A very dangerous adventure that will change my life forever. I have a chance to start again, and this time, I make the rules.

I picked this one up under the impression that this was a romance with an older protagonist. I would not categorize this as a romance. The focus of this book is not a romantic relationship, but a woman finding her way after a divorce. I would categorize this as a fantasy women’s lit book. If I reframe my perspective of the book, I really enjoyed it as it stands. Our main character is a delightfully feisty woman who gives no fucks about people’s thoughts on her life. She slowly finds her place in a very strange small town and eventually her own power. The writing is quirky and fun and the action, when it comes, is fast and furious. I’m interested in where this story is going to go in the series.

Leveling Up

  • #1 Magical Midlife Madness

  • #2 Magical Midlife Dating

  • #3 Magical Midlife Invasion

  • #4 Magical Midlife Love

  • #5 Magical Midlife Meeting

  • #6 Magical Midlife Challenge

  • #7 Magical Midlife Alliance

  • #8 Magical Midlife Battle

Next up on the TBR pile:

drop of corruption.jpg seoulmates.jpg jujutsu 20.jpg jujutsu21.jpg jujutsu22.jpg jujutsu23.jpg jujutsu24.jpg black butler.jpg jujutsu25.jpg jujutsu26.jpg jujutsu27.jpg mayor of maxwell.jpg antidote.jpg
tags: romance, fantasy, KF Breene, 4 stars
categories: Book Reviews
Wednesday 12.13.23
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

The City of Dreaming Books by Walter Moers

Title: The City of Dreaming Books

Author: Walter Moers

Publisher: Overlook 2007

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 464

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Optimus Yarnspinner’s search for an author’s identity takes him to Bookholm―the so-called City of Dreaming Books. On entering its streets, our hero feels as if he has opened the door of a gigantic second-hand bookshop. His nostrils are assailed by clouds of book dust, the stimulating scent of ancient leather, and the tang of printer’s ink.

Soon, though, Yarnspinner falls into the clutches of the city’s evil genius, Pfistomel Smyke, who treacherously maroons him in the labyrinthine catacombs underneath the city, where reading books can be genuinely dangerous . . .

In
The City of Dreaming Books, Walter Moers transports us to a magical world where reading is a remarkable adventure. Only those intrepid souls who are prepared to join Yarnspinner on his perilous journey should read this book. We wish the rest of you a long, safe, unutterably dull, and boring life!

I don’t quite know how to explain this book and why I enjoyed it. It’s a weird meandering trip through a strange land that reveres books and authors above all else. We follow Optimus Yarnspinner as he falls into a treacherous situation full of shady and shadowy characters. We stumble around in the dark catacombs under Bookholm and begin to uncover its secrets. This book is very descriptive and meandering in its plot. There are portions where not much happens. But I was still intrigued in following Yarnspinner through the dark hoping he can find his way out again. I literally gasped out loud a few times when the twists were revealed. Utterly delightful. I can’t wait to discuss this with my Nerdy Bookish Friends. One final note: this book is meant to be read with your eyes, Moers includes a variety of illustrations that add to the fantastical nature of the book. Without those illustrations, I don’t think I would have enjoyed it as much as I have. You must read it on paper or as an ebook.

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Next up on the TBR pile:

drop of corruption.jpg seoulmates.jpg jujutsu 20.jpg jujutsu21.jpg jujutsu22.jpg jujutsu23.jpg jujutsu24.jpg black butler.jpg jujutsu25.jpg jujutsu26.jpg jujutsu27.jpg mayor of maxwell.jpg antidote.jpg
tags: fantasy, Walter Moers, Nerdy Bookish Friends, 5 stars
categories: Book Reviews
Friday 11.17.23
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott

Title: Thistlefoot

Author: GennaRose Nethercott

Publisher: Anchor 2022

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 448

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: BOTM Cleanout; Unread Shelf

The Yaga siblings—Bellatine, a young woodworker, and Isaac, a wayfaring street performer and con artist—have been estranged since childhood, separated both by resentment and by wide miles of American highway. But when they learn that they are to receive an inheritance, the siblings agree to meet—only to discover that their bequest isn’t land or money, but something far stranger: a sentient house on chicken legs. 

Thistlefoot, as the house is called, has arrived from the Yagas’ ancestral home outside Kyiv—but not alone. A sinister figure known only as the Longshadow Man has tracked it to American shores, bearing with him violent secrets from the past: fiery memories that have hidden in Isaac and Bellatine’s blood for generations. As the Yaga siblings embark with Thistlefoot on a final cross-country tour of their family’s traveling theater show, the Longshadow Man follows in relentless pursuit, seeding destruction in his wake. Ultimately, time, magic, and legacy must collide—erupting in a powerful conflagration to determine who gets to remember the past and craft a new future.  

An enchanted adventure illuminated by Jewish myth and adorned with lyrical prose as tantalizing and sweet as briar berries,
Thistlefoot is a sweeping epic rich in Eastern European folklore: a powerful and poignant exploration of healing from multi-generational trauma told by a bold new talent.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable fairy tale retelling. I loved how Nethercott flips the story to exist in our world. A world where houses do not have legs and a sentience. This makes for an interesting play on the classic fairy tale. My favorite sections were the ones told from the perspective of the house. Apparently, I really enjoy non-human character narrations. Laying out the history of the Jewish people added a more serious layer to this story, but one that was greatly appreciated. My biggest complaint is the pacing. The story felt overly long with nothing happening for large sections. A bit more editing would have increased my enjoyment.

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Next up on the TBR pile:

drop of corruption.jpg seoulmates.jpg jujutsu 20.jpg jujutsu21.jpg jujutsu22.jpg jujutsu23.jpg jujutsu24.jpg black butler.jpg jujutsu25.jpg jujutsu26.jpg jujutsu27.jpg mayor of maxwell.jpg antidote.jpg
tags: Book of the Month, BOTM Cleanout, GennaRose Nethercott, fantasy, fairy tale stories, Unread Shelf Project, 4 stars
categories: Book Reviews
Sunday 10.29.23
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

The Thorns Remain by JJA Harwood

Title: The Thorns Remain

Author: JJA Harwood

Publisher: Magpie 2023

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 416

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

1919. In a Highland village forgotten by the world, the young people who remain after war and flu will soon head south to make something of themselves.

Moira Jean and her friends venture to the forest for a last night
of laughter before parting ways. Moira Jean is being left behind. She too planned to leave once – but her lover died in France and, with him, her future. The friends light a fire and dance. But, with every twirl about the flames, strange new dancers thread between them, music streaming from the trees.

The Fae have joined the dance.

Suddenly Moira Jean finds herself all alone, her friends spirited away.

For the Fae feel left behind and forgotten too. Led by the darkly handsome Lord of the Fae, they are out to make themselves known once more. Moira Jean must enter into a bargain with the Lord to save her friends – and fast, for the longer they spend with the Fae, the less like themselves they will be upon return. If Moira Jean cannot save her friends before Beltane, they will be lost forever…

I grabbed this off the library shelf mostly due to the beautiful cover. I was hoping for a great fae novel full of atmosphere and high stakes. Instead, we get a book that just seems to plod along with a main character that never seems to grow and has to rely on others to save herself and others. The only parts that I enjoyed were ones that directly featured the fae. Otherwise, I was pretty bored throughout this one. Sad that this fae retelling of Tam Lin just didn’t land for me at all.

Next up on the TBR pile:

drop of corruption.jpg seoulmates.jpg jujutsu 20.jpg jujutsu21.jpg jujutsu22.jpg jujutsu23.jpg jujutsu24.jpg black butler.jpg jujutsu25.jpg jujutsu26.jpg jujutsu27.jpg mayor of maxwell.jpg antidote.jpg
tags: faeries, fantasy, JJA Harwood, 3 stars
categories: Book Reviews
Friday 10.27.23
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

White Cat by Holly Black

Title: White Cat (Curse Workers #1)

Author: Holly Black

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books 2010

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 310

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR

The first in a trilogy, this gritty, fast-paced fantasy is rife with the unexpected. Cassel comes from a shady, magical family of con artists and grifters. He doesn’t fit in at home or at school, so he’s used to feeling like an outsider. He’s also used to feeling guilty—he killed his best friend, Lila, years ago.

But when Cassel begins to have strange dreams about a white cat, and people around him are losing their memories, he starts to wonder what really happened to Lila. In his search for answers, he discovers a wicked plot for power that seems certain to succeed. But Cassel has other ideas— and a plan to con the conmen.

After two amazing reads, I was really hoping that this one would land as well. But it didn’t. In fact, I finished this one and really wanted to through it against the wall. Considering that I listened to it on my phone, I restrained myself. What did I like about this book? Nothing really. We get terrible characters, a slow-moving plot, and lots of problematic scenes. Cassel is a total piece of cardboard. I cannot for the life of me understand why anyone would want to be around this guy. He’s not anti-hero, he’s just super boring. The plot took way too long to actually get going and by that time, I didn’t care at all. Everything was super obvious and boring. I will definitely not be reading more into this series.

Curse Workers

  • #1 White Cat

  • #2 Red Glove

  • #3 Black Heart

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Next up on the TBR pile:

drop of corruption.jpg seoulmates.jpg jujutsu 20.jpg jujutsu21.jpg jujutsu22.jpg jujutsu23.jpg jujutsu24.jpg black butler.jpg jujutsu25.jpg jujutsu26.jpg jujutsu27.jpg mayor of maxwell.jpg antidote.jpg
tags: Holly Black, Fall TBR List, fantasy, 2 stars
categories: Book Reviews
Wednesday 10.25.23
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher

Title: Nettle & Bone

Author: T. Kingfisher

Publisher: Tor Books 2022

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 245

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR

This isn't the kind of fairytale where the princess marries a prince.
It's the one where she kills him.

Marra never wanted to be a hero.

As the shy, convent-raised, third-born daughter, she escaped the traditional fate of princesses, to be married away for the sake of an uncaring throne. But her sister wasn’t so fortunate—and after years of silence, Marra is done watching her suffer at the hands of a powerful and abusive prince.

Seeking help for her rescue mission, Marra is offered the tools she needs, but only if she can complete three seemingly impossible tasks:
—build a dog of bones
—sew a cloak of nettles
—capture moonlight in a jar

But, as is the way in tales of princes and witches, doing the impossible is only the beginning.

Hero or not—now joined by a disgraced ex-knight, a reluctant fairy godmother, an enigmatic gravewitch and her fowl familiar—Marra might finally have the courage to save her sister, and topple a throne.

Following yesterday’s fairy tale retelling, I had picked up this other fairy tale inspired book by T. Kingfisher. After a very straight forward tale, I loved how this one completely changed the script. Marra isn’t the damsel who is searching for a love but to save her sister. I loved seeing Marra reach out to a motley crew of characters to help her on her quest. The story unfolds as a great quest with glimpses into other worlds and the magical. I really enjoyed this slim novel.

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Next up on the TBR pile:

drop of corruption.jpg seoulmates.jpg jujutsu 20.jpg jujutsu21.jpg jujutsu22.jpg jujutsu23.jpg jujutsu24.jpg black butler.jpg jujutsu25.jpg jujutsu26.jpg jujutsu27.jpg mayor of maxwell.jpg antidote.jpg
tags: Fall TBR List, fantasy, T. Kingfisher, 4 stars
categories: Book Reviews
Saturday 10.14.23
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

The Seventh Bride by T. Kingfisher

Title: The Seventh Bride

Author: T. Kingfisher

Publisher: 47North 2015

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 226

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR

Young Rhea is a miller’s daughter of low birth, so she is understandably surprised when a mysterious nobleman, Lord Crevan, shows up on her doorstep and proposes marriage. Since commoners don’t turn down lords—no matter how sinister they may seem—Rhea is forced to agree to the engagement.

Lord Crevan demands that Rhea visit his remote manor before their wedding. Upon arrival, she discovers that not only was her betrothed married six times before, but his previous wives are all imprisoned in his enchanted castle. Determined not to share their same fate, Rhea asserts her desire for freedom. In answer, Lord Crevan gives Rhea a series of magical tasks to complete, with the threat “Come back before dawn, or else I’ll marry you.”

With time running out and each task more dangerous and bizarre than the last, Rhea must use her resourcefulness, compassion, and bravery to rally the other wives and defeat the sorcerer before he binds her to him forever.

I’m slowly working my way through all of T. Kingfisher’s books and I finally grabbed this Bluebeard retelling. I loved how we are just thrown into an unknown land full of unknown dangers. We get to see the entire story unfold from Rhea’s perspective and hers is very limited. She’s never been away from the mill and the small village. And yet, she explores her new prison and learns its secrets in time to save everyone. This is a typical fairy tale set-up and follow-through but with FMC that grows greatly throughout the pages. I really enjoyed this book. Meeting Lord Crevan’s wives was my favorite part. So much fun!

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Next up on the TBR pile:

drop of corruption.jpg seoulmates.jpg jujutsu 20.jpg jujutsu21.jpg jujutsu22.jpg jujutsu23.jpg jujutsu24.jpg black butler.jpg jujutsu25.jpg jujutsu26.jpg jujutsu27.jpg mayor of maxwell.jpg antidote.jpg
tags: T. Kingfisher, 5 stars, fantasy, Fall TBR List
categories: Book Reviews
Friday 10.13.23
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas

Title: A Court of Silver Flames (ACOTAR #4)

Author:Sarah J. Maas

Publisher: Bloomsbury 2021

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 757

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR; Finishing the Series

Nesta Archeron has always been prickly-proud, swift to anger, and slow to forgive. And ever since being forced into the Cauldron and becoming High Fae against her will, she's struggled to find a place for herself within the strange, deadly world she inhabits. Worse, she can't seem to move past the horrors of the war with Hybern and all she lost in it.

The one person who ignites her temper more than any other is Cassian, the battle-scarred warrior whose position in Rhysand and Feyre's Night Court keeps him constantly in Nesta's orbit. But her temper isn't the only thing Cassian ignites. The fire between them is undeniable, and only burns hotter as they are forced into close quarters with each other.

Meanwhile, the treacherous human queens who returned to the Continent during the last war have forged a dangerous new alliance, threatening the fragile peace that has settled over the realms. And the key to halting them might very well rely on Cassian and Nesta facing their haunting pasts.

Against the sweeping backdrop of a world seared by war and plagued with uncertainty, Nesta and Cassian battle monsters from within and without as they search for acceptance-and healing-in each other's arms.

Up until this volume, I adored this series. I loved seeing Feyre find her place and make a family. I loved the political dealings between all the factions. I loved the romance of it all. But then we get to this volume and I am very disappointed. I really really disliked Nesta from her first appearance and I’ve never warmed up her all. She was so incredibly hateful towards Feyre and everyone else throughout the entire series that I just couldn’t connect to her. Even when we get an incredibly long book focused on her, I still don’t care. I really disliked how she treated Cassian. Even with her connections to Emerie and Gwen, I didn’t care about Nesta. I would have loved to have had the story focused on Emerie and Gwen or even Elain. Instead. I pushed myself through 750 pages of whiny angry Nesta. Even the spicy scenes couldn't temp me to give it a higher rating. So much was left undone at the end of this book. I just couldn’t.

A Court of Thorns and Roses

  • #1 A Court of Thorns and Roses

  • #2 A Court of Mist and Fury

  • #3 A Court of Wings and Ruin

  • #3.5 A Court of Frost and Starlight

  • #4 A Court of Silver Flames

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Next up on the TBR pile:

drop of corruption.jpg seoulmates.jpg jujutsu 20.jpg jujutsu21.jpg jujutsu22.jpg jujutsu23.jpg jujutsu24.jpg black butler.jpg jujutsu25.jpg jujutsu26.jpg jujutsu27.jpg mayor of maxwell.jpg antidote.jpg
tags: Sarah J. Maas, fantasy, Fall TBR List, Finishing the Series, 3 stars, faeries
categories: Book Reviews
Wednesday 10.04.23
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher

Title: Thornhedge

Author: T. Kingfisher

Publisher: Tor Books 2023

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 116

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR

There's a princess trapped in a tower. This isn't her story.

Meet Toadling. On the day of her birth, she was stolen from her family by the fairies, but she grew up safe and loved in the warm waters of faerieland. Once an adult though, the fae ask a favor of Toadling: return to the human world and offer a blessing of protection to a newborn child. Simple, right?

But nothing with fairies is ever simple.

Centuries later, a knight approaches a towering wall of brambles, where the thorns are as thick as your arm and as sharp as swords. He's heard there's a curse here that needs breaking, but it's a curse Toadling will do anything to uphold…

A lovely fracture fairy tale full of great writing and a fast-paced plot. This little story gives us another perspective on the Sleeping Beauty tale. We get to fall for Toadling in all her other-worldly quirk. We see Toadling connect with a human. And we learn about just how Toadling came to be the guard for an overgrown keep and a sleeping form. I loved how Kingfisher took the Sleeping Beauty story and turned it on its head. I have a real weakness for the “what if the princess was evil?” type of fracture fairy tale. This slim novella was tons of fun with a satisfying ending.

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Next up on the TBR pile:

drop of corruption.jpg seoulmates.jpg jujutsu 20.jpg jujutsu21.jpg jujutsu22.jpg jujutsu23.jpg jujutsu24.jpg black butler.jpg jujutsu25.jpg jujutsu26.jpg jujutsu27.jpg mayor of maxwell.jpg antidote.jpg
tags: 4 stars, T. Kingfisher, fairy tale stories, fantasy, novella, Fall TBR List
categories: Book Reviews
Thursday 09.28.23
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Bound by Flames by Jeaniene Frost

Title: Bound by Flames (Night Prince #3)

Author: Jeaniene Frost

Publisher: Avon 2015

Genre: Romance

Pages: 342

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR; Finishing the Series

Spice Rating: 5

The climactic third novel in New York Times bestselling author Jeaniene Frost's Night Prince series finds Vlad and his newly turned bride, Leila, at odds with each other—and vulnerable to the one vampire powerful enough to end the Dark Prince's reign . . .

Play with fire, pay the price

Leila's years on the carnie circuit were certainly an education. What she didn't learn: how to be a vampire, or how to be married to the most famous vampire of them all. Adjusting to both has Leila teetering on a knife edge between passion and peril, and now the real danger is about to begin . . .

Vlad must battle with a centuries-old enemy whose reach stretches across continents and whose strength equals his own. It isn't like Vlad to feel fear, but he does . . . for Leila, because his enemy knows she is Vlad's greatest weakness. As friend and foe alike align against him—and his overprotectiveness drives Leila away—Vlad's love for his new bride could be the very thing that dooms them both . . .

Oh that took a turn! I was not expecting the twists and turns in this volume of the series. This book has nonstop action from page one until the end. And there is some serious disturbing action in this one. Definitely not for the feint of heart. Even I cringed during a few scenes. But on the other side of the book, we get to see so much growth between Vlad and Leila. I was desperate for them to really start to understand each other and come together. One more book in this series to see how this chapter of their story ends.

Night Prince

  • #1 Once Burned

  • #2 Twice Tempted

  • #3 Bound by Flames

  • #4 Into the Fire

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Next up on the TBR pile:

drop of corruption.jpg seoulmates.jpg jujutsu 20.jpg jujutsu21.jpg jujutsu22.jpg jujutsu23.jpg jujutsu24.jpg black butler.jpg jujutsu25.jpg jujutsu26.jpg jujutsu27.jpg mayor of maxwell.jpg antidote.jpg
tags: Jeaniene Frost, fantasy, romance, vampires, Finishing the Series, Fall TBR List
categories: Book Reviews
Saturday 09.23.23
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

The Islands of Elsewhere by Heather Fawcett

Title: The Islands of Elsewhere

Author: Heather Fawcett

Publisher: Rocky Pond Books 2023

Genre: MG Fantasy

Pages: 224

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Not many kids have an island in their backyard, but suddenly, the Snolly sisters have three. They’re staying at Granddaddy’s seaside property for the summer, which includes the mysterious Fairy Islands: Fairy, Little Fairy, and Ghost. The people in Misty Cove call them “in-between places,” and say they’re full of magic—a magic that gets inside you.

But ten-year-old Bee Snolly doesn’t believe in magic—she just wants to help her ill Granddaddy. And if she and her sisters can unravel the mystery of the Fairy Islands in time, they may discover a long-buried secret that could help them all.

Very cute little middle fantasy featuring three very different sisters and a family mystery. I loved watching Bee, Hattie, and Plum play and fight and ultimately come together to help their family in any way they can. There’s definitely a level of quirkiness to this family and it comes through in every page. Is Fawcett capable of writing of book that doesn’t include quirky characters? I don’t think so, but those quirky characters were just what I needed for an easy read today. I sped through this book desperate to find out the mystery of the Fairy Islands and hopeful that Granddaddy would be okay. A very cute little story.

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Next up on the TBR pile:

drop of corruption.jpg seoulmates.jpg jujutsu 20.jpg jujutsu21.jpg jujutsu22.jpg jujutsu23.jpg jujutsu24.jpg black butler.jpg jujutsu25.jpg jujutsu26.jpg jujutsu27.jpg mayor of maxwell.jpg antidote.jpg
tags: middle grade, fantasy, Heather Fawcett, 4 stars
categories: Book Reviews
Wednesday 09.20.23
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Up from the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Title: Up from the Grave (Night Huntress #7)

Author: Jeaniene Frost

Publisher: Avon 2014

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Pages: 372

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Spice Meter: 5 (albeit one with a vampire)

The Grave Ends Here.

Lately, life has been unnaturally calm for vampires Cat Crawfield and her husband Bones.  They should have known better than to relax their guard, because a shocking revelation sends them back into action to stop an all-out war...

A rogue CIA agent is involved in horrifying secret activities that threaten to raise tensions between humans and the undead to dangerous heights.  Now Cat and Bones are in a race against time to save their friends from a fate worse than death...because the more secrets they unravel, the deadlier the consequences.  And if they fail, their lives--and those of everyone they hold dear-- will be hovering on the edge of the grave.

And we come to the end of the main series with this volume. (I know that there is a #8 and #9, but those are earlier books retold from Bones’ perspective. Not the main storyline.) I was so glad to see a happy-ish ending for Cat and Bones. After everything they have gone through, it was nice to see them gain some semblance of peace. Even if that peace was hard fought and comes with some additional strings. I loved the main mystery of this volume, but could have done with some retooling of the side characters. Tate and the boys just seemed to be thrown in there. And I’ve never been a fan of Cat’s mother at all. I still think it was a terrible decision to make her a vampire. She should have just died. This volume didn’t have as much romance as I would have liked, but we still get a few scenes between Cat and Bones. I want to read the last two novellas/short stories, but I’m still deciding on whether or not to read the Bones books.

Night Huntress:

  • #0.5 Reckoning ✓

  • #1 Halfway to the Grave ✓

  • #1.5 Happily Never After ✓

  • #2 One Foot in the Grave ✓

  • #3 At Grave’s End ✓

  • #3.5 Devil to Pay ✓

  • #4 Destined for an Early Grave ✓

  • #4.5 One for the Money ✓

  • #5 This Side of the Grave

  • #6 One Grave at a Time ✓

  • #6.5 Home for the Holidays ✓

  • #7 Up from the Grave

  • #7.5 Outtakes from the Grave

  • #7.6 A Grave Girls’ Getaway

  • #8 The Other Half of the Grave

  • #9 Both Feet in the Grave

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Next up on the TBR pile:

drop of corruption.jpg seoulmates.jpg jujutsu 20.jpg jujutsu21.jpg jujutsu22.jpg jujutsu23.jpg jujutsu24.jpg black butler.jpg jujutsu25.jpg jujutsu26.jpg jujutsu27.jpg mayor of maxwell.jpg antidote.jpg
tags: fantasy, Finishing the Series, vampires, Jeaniene Frost
categories: Book Reviews
Friday 09.15.23
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Lore Olympus Vol. 4 by Rachel Smythe

Title: Lore Olympus Volume 4

Author: Rachel Smythe

Publisher: Del Rey 2023

Genre: Fantasy Comic

Pages: 416

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

“I don’t always get to do as I please.”
 
The rumor mill of Olympus is constantly churning, but Persephone and Hades are all anyone can talk about. With the constant gossip creating intense pressure on the pair, they decide to slow down their budding romance and focus on sorting out their own issues first.
 
But that’s easier said than done. 
 
Hades struggles to find support in his personal life, with Zeus trivializing his feelings and Minthe resorting to abusive patterns in their relationship. And while Hades tries to create healthier boundaries where he can—like finally putting a stop to his sporadic, revenge-fueled hookups with Hera—he still feels lonely and adrift.
 
Persephone feels equally ostracized as her classmates shun her for her connection to Hades, and she can find no refuge at home, with Apollo constantly dropping by unannounced and pushing his unwelcome advances. And on top of it all, the wrathful god of war, Ares, has returned to Olympus to dredge up his sordid history with the goddess of spring, threatening to surface Persephone’s dark and mysterious past and ruin her tenuous position in the land of the gods. 
 
Despite agreeing to take it slow, Persephone and Hades find themselves inextricably drawn toward each other once more amid the chaos. The pull of fate cannot be denied.
 
This edition of Rachel Smythe’s original Eisner-winning webcomic
Lore Olympus features exclusive behind-the-scenes content and brings the Greek pantheon into the modern age in a sharply perceptive and romantic graphic novel.

Oh I am obsessed with this series! I just love this fresh take on the Hades and Persephone story. Even more than their story, all of the side characters really make it the best ensemble story. In this volume, we get to see much much more from Hera and Zeus as well as meet Ares. I love how the story has organically been told. It doesn’t feel like the reveals or forced, but naturally come to light because of conversations between characters. I cannot wait to see what happens. And when exactly are Hades and Persephone actually going to own up to their feelings?

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Next up on the TBR pile:

drop of corruption.jpg seoulmates.jpg jujutsu 20.jpg jujutsu21.jpg jujutsu22.jpg jujutsu23.jpg jujutsu24.jpg black butler.jpg jujutsu25.jpg jujutsu26.jpg jujutsu27.jpg mayor of maxwell.jpg antidote.jpg
tags: Rachel Smythe, fantasy, romance, greek and roman myths, graphic novel
categories: Book Reviews
Wednesday 09.13.23
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Cinders by Michelle D. Argyle

Title: Cinders

Author: Michelle D. Argyle

Publisher: MDA Books 2010

Genre: Fatnasy

Pages: 172

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: COYER

Cinderella's happily-ever-after isn't turning out the way she expected. With her fairy godmother imprisoned in the castle and a mysterious stranger haunting her dreams, Cinderella is on her own to discover true love untainted by magic.

I was sucked in by the tagline “a dark Cinderella tale.” And while we do get some shades of that, this book was mostly boring. I couldn’t seem to care about any of the characters. Even the villains were lackluster. And I wasn’t excited by the trajectory of the storyline. Mostly I read this and then was glad to delete it off my kindle app.

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Next up on the TBR pile:

drop of corruption.jpg seoulmates.jpg jujutsu 20.jpg jujutsu21.jpg jujutsu22.jpg jujutsu23.jpg jujutsu24.jpg black butler.jpg jujutsu25.jpg jujutsu26.jpg jujutsu27.jpg mayor of maxwell.jpg antidote.jpg
tags: COYER, fantasy, Michelle D. Argyle, ebook, 3 stars
categories: Book Reviews
Wednesday 09.13.23
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

The International House of Dereliction by Jacqueline Davies

Title: The International House of Dereliction

Author: Jacqueline Davies

Publisher: Clarion Books 2023

Genre: MG Fantasy

Pages: 227

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Ten-year-old Alice is moving for the eleventh time.

She’s lived in so many houses, each more broken than the last, that home to Alice is nothing more than a place you fix and then a place you leave. After all, who needs a permanent home when you’re a whiz at fixing things?

But when Alice arrives at her new home, she can’t take her eyes off the house next door, the stately dark house that hulked in the dimming light. The once-grand mansion, now dilapidated and condemned, beckons Alice; it's the perfect new repair job!

As Alice begins to restore the House to its former splendor, she senses strange presences. Is there a heartbeat coming from the House’s walls? Is someone looking at her? Soon she realizes she’s not alone. Three ghosts have been watching, and they need Alice’s help to solve their unfinished business.

Will Alice be able to unravel the mysteries of the House and find her forever home . . . before it’s too late?

Apparently I really enjoy quirky and/or horror middle grade. Do not give me a straight coming-of-age story or a beautiful family story. I want weird characters and slightly fantastical and/or absurd situations. This one was such a lovely story involving a quirky family and a collection of lost ghosts. Alice grabbed me right away. I would have loved having Alice as a friend when I was 10 years old. I think our weirdness would compliment each other. I loved following her as she attempts to scratch her home improvement itch while also wrestling with the meanings of family and belonging. Such a cute little book with lots of atmosphere. Perfect for my fall reading.

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Next up on the TBR pile:

drop of corruption.jpg seoulmates.jpg jujutsu 20.jpg jujutsu21.jpg jujutsu22.jpg jujutsu23.jpg jujutsu24.jpg black butler.jpg jujutsu25.jpg jujutsu26.jpg jujutsu27.jpg mayor of maxwell.jpg antidote.jpg
tags: Jacqueline Davies, middle grade, fantasy, 4 stars
categories: Book Reviews
Sunday 09.10.23
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 
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