• Reviews

    Legendborn – Tracy Deonn

    September 5, 2020 /

    Fabienne’s summer of Arthuriana continues! I’ve been lucky enough to get to read an eARC of the wonderful Legendborn a few weeks ago and I can assure you that it is worth every ounce of hype that it is getting! A thoroughly modern reimagining of the Arthurian legends meets Black girl magic featuring a set of amazing characters – I loved it and I cannot wait to read more! My finished copy is on its way and I will be rereading it as soon as I can.

    Massive thanks to Netgalley and Margaret K. McElderry Books for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

    RELEASE DATE: 15/09/20

    STAR RATING: 5/5 ✶

    SUMMARY: After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews wants nothing to do with her family memories or childhood home. A residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC–Chapel Hill seems like the perfect escape—until Bree witnesses a magical attack her very first night on campus.

    A flying demon feeding on human energies.

    A secret society of so called “Legendborn” students that hunt the creatures down.

    And a mysterious teenage mage who calls himself a “Merlin” and who attempts—and fails—to wipe Bree’s memory of everything she saw.

    The mage’s failure unlocks Bree’s own unique magic and a buried memory with a hidden connection: the night her mother died, another Merlin was at the hospital. Now that Bree knows there’s more to her mother’s death than what’s on the police report, she’ll do whatever it takes to find out the truth, even if that means infiltrating the Legendborn as one of their initiates.

    She recruits Nick, a self-exiled Legendborn with his own grudge against the group, and their reluctant partnership pulls them deeper into the society’s secrets—and closer to each other. But when the Legendborn reveal themselves as the descendants of King Arthur’s knights and explain that a magical war is coming, Bree has to decide how far she’ll go for the truth and whether she should use her magic to take the society down—or join the fight. (from Margaret K. McElderry Books)

    OPINIONS: As I’m in the process of writing my MA dissertation on modern reinterpretations of medieval mythology and legends, I have read an awful lot of them over the course of the last few months, so please trust me when I tell you that Legendborn truly is one of the very best. It is diverse, it is feminist, and it is a fantastic YA fantasy on top of exhibiting a deep understanding of the Arthurian corpus and making it its own. It is not merely a retelling of the classic King Arthur story, but it twists it in a way that is surprising and refreshing, mixing it up and turning it into something unique.

    Not only that, but it mixes Arthuriana with Black girl magic, of which this world always needs more – Bree is a wonderful heroine, and the way Tracy Deonn manages to weave colonialism and slavery into the story and the Arthurian tradition is truly masterful. It makes Legendborn multi-faceted and layered – yes, it is a story that can just be read and enjoyed, but there was so much in the various timelines that a history nerd like me saw and got excited about and at the same time many things that people like me, who grew up white in Europe, often tend to forget and overlook because we are not personally confronted with them.

    Another thing I absolutely loved about Legendborn is the fact that Bree is a very smart girl. The story is set on a college campus, and she has just entered early college. As someone who graduated High School early and went off to Uni at 16, I am always very excited when I get to read about characters I can identify with in that way – something that is incredibly rare. I’m not talking about characters that are constantly studying and great at doing homework, but naturally clever, and have a personality that truly enjoys learning and research. Thank you, Tracy, for giving me a book that makes me feel seen and combines it with my passion for medieval legends!

    P.S. Legendborn also features two hot boys. There’s Nick, straight-laced cute boy, and Selwyn, resident slightly gothy bad boy… I recommend you add Legendborn on Goodreads ASAP and pre-order yourself a copy so you can decide whose team you’re on! You can get the UK edition via Waterstones here, and the US edition via Book Depository here.

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  • Something Special

    The 2022 Megapost

    November 26, 2021 /

    There are so many brilliant books out in 2022 – it was tough to choose what to include, and this list is in no way comprehensive. There are bound to be a ton of books that we missed despite our best efforts (I especially have been working on this almost daily for close to two months – and if you know of a book that really should be on here, do give us a shout and we’ll consider adding it!) – and do remember that we’ll continue to post monthly hype posts into next year too. For easy access, you can see those books that are available on Bookshop in a handy list here (also contains some earlier volumes in series that are mentioned in this post to tide you over while waiting). And now, enjoy the UTTER DESTRUCTION OF YOUR TBR.

    Fab: The Bone Spindle by Leslie Vedder, out on January 11th, is pitched as Sleeping Beauty meets Indiana Jones, and damn, that’s a tempting pitch. From the blurb: “Filore, a treasure hunter with a knack for riddles, is busy running from her own deadly curse, when she pricks her finger on a spindle. Bound to the sleeping prince Briar Rose with the spindle’s magic – and chosen as the only person who can wake him – Fi is stuck with the prince’s ghost until she can break his ancient curse and save his kingdom. She’s going to need a partner. A warrior huntswoman with an axe to grind (literally), Shane couldn’t care less about curses and ancient texts. But instead of riches, the two girls find trouble.” Sounds like a great sapphic YA fantasy. And not long to wait – pre-order your copy from Bookshop here (affiliate link).

    Fab: In 2021, H.M. Long debuted with Hall of Smoke, a Viking inspired fantasy which I thought was a really great debut and did some very interesting things around gods and their roles in the lives of mortals. With Eangi Hessa, Long created a wonderfully flawed leading character, and I can’t wait to read more of her adventures in the sequel. Temple of No God is out on January 18th and follows Hessa as she has to keep up the tentative peace she brokered at the end of the first book and face new threats. These are great books for anyone who likes historical fantasy, Grimdark, and Vikings. Pre-order a copy via Bookshop here (affiliate link)

    Fab: Edgewood by Kristen Ciccarelli promises to be a wonderful, lyrical story reminiscent of fairy tales. Out on January 18th, this is the story of Emeline, who has always been pursued by the mysterious forest of Edgewood. And now her grandfather has gone missing, almost without a trace. So she finally gives in to the call of the forest and finds herself dealing with the fabled Wood King. Not only does the blurb sound enchanting, the cover is absolutely stunning too. Yes, I want Emeline’s dress, complete with live flowers. Pre-order Edgewood from Book Depository here.

    Fab: My favourite books to write about here are ones that I know I have already acquired for myself. Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan is one of those – while it’s not out until January 20th, I have already managed to sneak an eARC and to read and review it! Check out my review over at Grimdark Magazine here. This debut fantasy is inspired by the legend of the Chinese Moon Goddess, Chang’e and is the first in a duology. It’s lyrical, magical and exactly the kind of thing that I will fall in love with. Xingyin grew up hidden away on the moon, but as her magical powers begin to bloom she is forced to flee and is plunged into perilous adventures. Pre-order a copy via Bookshop here (affiliate link).

    Fab: Gabriela Houston’s The Second Bell was one of my favourite debuts of 2021. Atmospheric, haunting and a compelling story about a mother and her child in a fantastical world inspired by Eastern European mythology. So I’m very excited for her first children’s book, which is coming out on February 3rd. The Wind Child tells the story of Mara, the granddaughter of Stribog, the god of winter winds, who is determined to get her beloved father back from Navia, the Slavic afterlife. There’s just one problem: no one has ever returned from Navia. Together with her best friend Torniv, a bear-shifter, she sets out on an epic adventure. I read this last week, and it is as brilliant as it sounds – review will be up soon but rest assured that it comes with the highest of recommendations. Pre-order your own copy from Bookshop here (affiliate link).

    Fab: I’m glad I waited with posting this list, because Elle McNicoll’s Like A Charm was only announced YESTERDAY! Her third book – and first fantasy novel – will be out on the third of February and I could not be more excited. I loved both A Kind of Spark and Show Us Who You Are and I can’t wait to meet Ramya, the dyspraxic heroine of Like A Charm. From the blurb: “Edinburgh is a city filled with magical creatures. No one can see them… until Ramya Knox. As she is pulled into her family’s world of secrets and spells, Ramya sets out to discover the truth behind the Hidden Folk with only three words of warning from her grandfather: Beware the Sirens. Plunged into an adventure that will change everything, Ramya is about to learn that there is more to her powers than she ever imagined.” Purely delightful! You can pre-order Like A Charm via Waterstones here.

    Fab: Rebecca Ross has been enchanting YA readers for a while, and now she has her sights set on the adult audience with A River Enchanted, out on February 3rd (15th in the US). It has two gorgeous covers in the UK and the US, but I think I slightly prefer the US one (which is the one you see here) because of it’s medieval vibes. The story is set on the Isle of Cadence, haunted by spirits who find mischief in playing with the inhabitants’ lives. They can only be controlled through a bard’s song, so as girls go missing, Adaira, heiress of the East has to band together with the last bard capable of the feat: Jack Tamerlaine, her childhood enemy. A story of working together despite the odds, of darker secrets lurking below the surface and uncanny happenings. And perhaps even an enemies-to-lovers trope if I’m a lucky Fab? Pre-order A River Enchanted from Bookshop here (affiliate link).

    Anna: Academic and speculative fiction author Adam Roberts has a knack for imagining alternative realities that seem almost plausible. This one features a ‘smart’ device (that is part-social media platform, part-body modification, part-cult experience), sentient robots, and malevolent AIs. Split across multiple timeframes, the blurb promises The This will ask tough questions about our dependence on technology. I’ve had the pleasure of being taught by Roberts as an undergraduate, have followed his writing since then, and can attest that his books always elicit a strong response (probably in the form of me yelling at my kindle). Out in the UK and US February 3rd. Pre-order via Bookshop here (affiliate link).

    Fab: Witches are my kryptonite. Especially witches in exciting middle grade fantasy adventures. So of course I’m hyped for The Witch, The Sword, and the Cursed Knights by Alexandria Rogers, out on February 8th. Twelve-year-old Ellie tries to eschew her hated witch heritage by joining the Fairy Godmother Academy. But instead she is drafted to the dreaded Arthurian Round Table, a draft which she can only get out of by saving a lost cause. This throws her together with Caedmon, a boy from Wisconsin who doesn’t believe magic is real, and they both have to accept their lives and destinies in order to survive and save their worlds. Pre-order this one from Bookshop here (affiliate link).

    Anna: I am here for occult libraries! From the adventures of Thursday Next to the Clayr’s Library in Garth Nix’s Old Kingdom series, quiet stacks and dusty tomes have been my jam. And A. J. Hackwith’s The Library of the Unwritten unites my love of libraries with my second favourite setting – Hell! The third instalment of the series, The God of Lost Words follows Claire, a former librarian, and her allies’ quest to rescue the Library of the Unwritten, a place where stories unfinished by their authors go, from the infernal general Malphas. And that may just require destroying the library first. I look forward to diving back into Hackwith’s imaginative world and reuniting with the characters on February 8th. Pre-order The God of Lost Words here, and catch up with books one and two, The Library of the Unwritten and The Archive of the Forgotten here and here via Bookshop (affiliate links).

    Fab: Give a Fab a speculative YA anthology with a host of diverse authors and they will be very happy. Reclaim the Stars, edited by Zoraida Córdova and out on February 15th is exactly that kind of book. The anthology features seventeen stories about space in all shapes and forms written by authors of Latin American descent. From the blurb: “Reclaim the Stars is a collection of bestselling and acclaimed YA authors that take the Latin American diaspora to places fantastical and out of this world. From princesses warring in space, to the all too-near devastation of climate change, to haunting ghost stories in Argentina, and mermaids off the coast of the Caribbean. This is science fiction and fantasy that breaks borders and realms, and proves that stories are truly universal.” If that doesn’t tempt you, I don’t know how to get you reading… Pre-order a copy from Book Depository here.

    Fab: I have been excited for The Embroidered Book by Kate Heartfield since I met the author in early 2020 at my last pre-covid book event and heard her talking about it. On February 17th, it will finally be available to the public (though I do have an eARC and will hopefully be able to provide you lovely readers with a review before then, even if I’m very sad that I don’t have one of the lovely gold-foiled physical ARCs). This is a story of two sisters, of magic, of spells that end up leading to a rivalry that will affect all of Europe because of who they are: Marie Antoinette and her sister Charlotte. I love historical witchy books, so I’m sure this will be right up my alley. Pre-order this from Bookshop here (affiliate link).

    Fab: This is the rarest of occurrences: A book on a yearly preview that I’ve not only read but reviewed already. Only a Monster by Vanessa Len is out on February 22nd, and you can find my full review here. This is a deliciously addictive YA fantasy set in London (which is always a bit of a plus in my book) playing with some interesting questions around morality. The magic in this book has Joan, the main character, and her family of so-called monsters able to steal life time from humans in order to travel across time. But there is a hero created to stop them all… I thoroughly enjoyed this one and highly recommend it. It’s fantastic escapism and exactly what I want from my YA (I just wish it was a little queerer, but you can’t always have everything). Pre-order it via Bookshop here (affiliate link).

    Sun: Vampires and archives. Literally, the only way this book could be more enticing for me is if it came with a bowl of noodles. Dead Collections by Isaac Fellman is out 22nd February. From the blurb: When archivist Sol meets Elsie, the larger than life widow of a moderately famous television writer who’s come to donate her wife’s papers, there’s an instant spark. But Sol has a secret: he suffers from an illness called vampirism, and hides from the sun by living in his basement office. On their way to falling in love, the two traverse grief, delve into the Internet fandom they once unknowingly shared, and navigate the realities of transphobia and the stigmas of carrying the “vampire disease.” Then, when strange things start happening at the collection, Sol must embrace even more of the unknown to save himself and his job. This sounds like it bounces through several genres in the best kind of way and I’m looking forward to seeing how it all plays out. You can pre-order this one from Amazon here.

    Fab: If you’ve ever spoken about books with me at any length, I’ve probably talked your ear off about medieval retellings. Especially the need for more diversity, because the middle ages were not this white and homogenous period as is often said. So you bet I’m very excited about Aminah Mae Safi’s Travelers Along the Way, which is part of the Remixed Classics series and out on the 1st of March. And no, we’re not talking about the fact that basically every single title in that series appears on this list. Nope. Anyway, this remix takes the classic story of Robin Hood and sets it in the Holy Land instead of the forest of Sherwood and centres two Muslim girls who, together with their band of misfit traveling companions, get swept up in the Third Crusade and the fight for Jerusalem. I have been reading this one on my way to work these last few days and it’s as good as it sounds – review to come soon and highly recommended. Pre-order this from Book Depository here.

    Fab: Hi it’s me, the resident V.E. Schwab fangirl. I pretty much love everything she writes, so I’m extremely hyped for Gallant, which is a standalone out on the 1st of March. Both the US and UK versions are gorgeous, but I’m partial to the Titan cover, which is the one you see here. This is pitched as The Secret Garden meets Stardust, and is the story of sixteen year old Olivia Prior, an orphan who does not have a voice. Raised in a boarding school, she is summoned to a mysterious estate by an estranged uncle. Only, when she gets there, he has died, and she is set very odd rules and things aren’t quite what she expected… I love me a gothic mystery and you bet that I’ve already started begging for an ARC. Pre-order your own copy via Bookshop here (affiliate link).

    Fab: The Book of Living Secrets by Madeleine Roux was actually on my most anticipated list for 2021 already as its release date was pushed. It is now coming out on March 1st. This falls into one of my favourite tropes, stories about books. Adelle and Connie are best friends – and no matter how different they may be, they share a love for the novel Moira. So when they are offered an opportunity to travel inside the book, they can’t resist. Except, once there, the story isn’t quite as they remember it, and they have to rely on their wits if they want to make it out alive as their dream turns into a nightmare. This sounds like such fun – and an exploration of a daydream most of us readers will have had many times over. I for one am not sure how long I’d make it in some of my favourite books… Pre-order this from Bookshop here (affiliate link).

    Fab: Out on March 3rd, Our Lady of Mysterious Ailments is the second book in T.L. Huchu’s Edinburgh Nights series. I really enjoyed The Library of the Dead, the first book, which came out in spring 2021 (see my review here), so I’m really excited to see where the story takes Ropa next. This is a really interesting fantasy series aimed at a crossover audience, blending an Edinburgh setting with Zimbabwean magic. This second book sees Ropa investigate a mysterious illness at a hospital for magical ailments, and leads her to one of the oldest schools for magic in Scotland (which still doesn’t accept female students…). I’m sure this too will be brilliant! Order a copy of The Library of the Dead to keep yourself occupied here, and pre-order Our Lady of Mysterious Ailments here (affiliate links).

    Fab: Basically every Anna-Marie McLemore book I have read has been a five-star read. So it’s no wonder that they are featured twice on this list. First up is Lakelore, out on March 8th. This pretty much promises to be their queerest book yet, which, knowing their work, means a lot. It features two non-binary protagonists – something I don’t think I’ve ever seen before. From the blurb: “Everyone who lives near the lake knows the stories about the world underneath it, an ethereal landscape rumored to be half-air, half-water. But Bastián Silvano and Lore Garcia are the only ones who’ve been there. Bastián grew up both above the lake and in the otherworldly space beneath it. Lore’s only seen the world under the lake once, but that one encounter changed their life and their fate.” But then the boundaries between the worlds start to blur, and the two have to start trusting each other and talking to the other, something they haven’t done in years. I’m already prepared for gorgeous writing and to get my heart broken. Pre-order this one from Book Depository here.

    Fab: Look at how gorgeous the cover for A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft is. This story of alchemists and the hunt for a mythical creature is also out on the 8th of March. This promises to be a dark and haunting story of outcasts, unlikely love and magic that takes over the protagonists lives. I love that so many of these stories are set in atmospheric forests, which is probably my favourite fantasy setting of them all. 2022 is spoiling me so damn much. You can pre-order this one from Book Depository here.

    Fab: One For All by Lillie Lainoff is also being released on March 8th. This is a genderbent retelling of The Three Musketeers with a disabled protagonist, and damn do I need this in my life. Tania’s chronic illness is based on the author’s own experience with POTS, and it is probably the first book to ever feature a protagonist with this illness – and especially one that has her be a sword-fighter. While these experiences are very different from the chronic issues I face in my own life I think a lot of the broader experiences will resonate with me and so I can’t wait to read about a heroine who kicks ass while dealing with a lot of shit from her own body, never mind the people around her. Pre-order a copy from Book Depository here.

    Fab: If there’s one form of art that I’ve always loved, it’s maps. Growing up as the daughter of a geographer, questions such as “where is this place?” were often greeted with “go get an atlas and look it up”, so I learned how to read maps very early on, and they have a comforting familiarity as well as remind me of my mum. So I’m very intrigued by The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd, out on March 15th. This is described as a highly imaginative thriller about a young woman who discovers that a strange map in her deceased father’s belongings holds an incredible, deadly secret—one that will lead her on an extraordinary adventure and to the truth about her family’s dark history. A love letter to maps, family secrets AND V.E. Schwab comps? Count me in. Pre-order this via Bookshop here (affiliate link).

    Fab: Apart from books, the other thing I love more than anything is tea. (and cats, but that’s not relevant right now) A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin combines the two things masterfully. Out on March 22nd, this YA fantasy features a magical tea making competition, and so is best enjoyed along with a cup of your favourite brew. It is the first in a duology, and you don’t even have to wait long for book two – A Venom Dark and Sweet is out in August already! Backstabbing, deceit and poison tea, as well as a competition element, this sounds like a wonderful Asian-set story. Pre-order it from Book Depository here.

    Fab: I’ve really enjoyed much of Tara Sim’s YA work, so I’m intrigued to see where her adult fantasy takes us. The City of Dusk is out on March 22nd and billed as having bone and shadow magic, vengeful gods and a set of chosen ones who aren’t happy about their status. There are four gods, and four heirs to the gods, and their realms converge in the City of Dusk. But now, the gods have withdrawn their favour, and the realms are dying – except that the heirs won’t let that happen if they have anything to say about it. This sounds like a fun epic fantasy on the darker side of things! Pre-order this from Book Depositoy here.

    Fab: The Bone Orchard by Sara A. Mueller has one of the most gorgeous covers of 2022. And it comes out on March 22nd, the day before my birthday, so I think someone should order this for me as a birthday present. Because this isn’t only pretty but it also sounds awesome and features a witch – a necromancer to be precise. Charm is the last in her line of necromantic practicioners, and she is both a whore and the Emperor’s concubine. And now she’s been summoned to his deathbed to solve his impending murder (which he believes was committed by one of his sons, and thus affects the future of the entire empire). Sounds like a brilliant book! Pre-order from Book Depository here.

    Fab: Until the Last of Me by Sylvain Neuvel is the second book in his Take Them to the Stars series. Following up on 2021’s A History of What Comes Next, this continues Mia’s story as she strives to make space travel happen for humanity. I absolutely loved the first book – I had an audio-arc and liked it so much I got myself a Goldsboro edition – so I’m very hyped for this second installment to come out on March 29th. These books are smart, tongue-in-cheek and just plain brilliant. Highly recommended if you like space and intelligent, high-concept fiction. Pre-order via Bookshop here (affiliate link).

    Fab: There are few covers that scream Fab as much as Wild and Wicked Things by Francesca May, out on March 31st (so basically a birthday present for me). Just look at this occult historical beauty. This is a sapphic witchy book which you all know is my exact favourite thing so I’m expecting this to be a 5 star read. I have also already begged the publicist for an ARC so hopefully you’ll get a review soon-ish. This is set in a Great Gatsby-esque world of opulence, but instead of silly men being content in their mediocrity, this features beautiful women, wicked blood bargains and enigmatic witches. Absolute Fabnip. Pre-order a copy via Bookshop here (affiliate link).

    Fab: Out on April 12th, Emily X.R. Pan’s An Arrow to the Moon is pitched as Romeo and Juliet meets Houyi & Chang’e from Chinese Mythology. So another fairy tale atmosphere story that will steal my heart. I adored Emily’s debut, The Astonishing Color of After, which was haunting and lyrical and I did not expect to fall for as hard as I did, so I fully expect to love this one too, especially as this is much more my genre. It sounds like a sweet contemporary fantasy about Hunter and Luna, two teens who are utterly different, and find their lives upended as they fall in love – with a heavy dose of secrets and magic. And just look at this amazing cover. Pre-order this one via Book Depository here.

    Fab: Give me a cover this gorgeous and tell me that the book’s comps are Gideon the Ninth and The Ten Thousand Doors of January and damn, if that’s not a book I’ll be all over. Saint Death’s Daughter by C.S.E. Cooney is out on April 12th, and I can’t wait to dive into my ARC soon. Just read this blurb: “To be born into a family of royal assassins pretty much guarantees that your life is going to be… rather unusual. Especially if, like Miscellaneous “Lanie” Stones, you also have a vicious allergy to all forms of violence and bloodshed, and an uncanny affinity for bringing the dead back to life. To make matters worse, family debt looms – a debt that will have to be paid sooner rather than later if Lanie and her sister are to retain ownership of the ancestral seat, Stones Manor. Lanie finds herself courted and threatened by powerful parties who would love to use her worryingly intimate relationship with the goddess of death for their own nefarious ends. But the goddess has other plans…” You can get your very own copy via Book Depository here.

    Fab: Another queer fantasy YA thriller for me to get excited over. I am easy to please, if you haven’t noticed yet. Out on April 12th, The Drowning Summer by Christine Lynn Herman is about three murdered teens, six years ago – a time known as the drowning summer – and two girls tangled up in the mystery of it all. Evelyn’s father was accused of the murders, the charges only dropped because she summoned a spirit to clear his name. But that doesn’t mean that the community trusts them. And while Mina’s family has worked as mediums for generations, she’s been shut out of the family business. When a summoning goes very wrong, the two girls have to work together to figure out how to fix things and find out what happened six years ago… Pre-order this one via Bookshop here (affiliate link).

    Fab: Spear by Nicola Griffith isn’t out until April 19th but I’ve already managed to get my hands on a copy and it’s probably the best novella I’ve read all year. This is pretty much the well-researched diverse queer Arthurian story of my dreams. You can check out my full review on Grimdark Magazine here, but rest assured that this is a book I wholeheartedly recommend. Peretur, a young woman , ends up at the Arthurian court, where she is mistaken for a man and ends up involved in the quest for the Grail… And do I even need to mention that the book is illustrated by Rovina Cai? An adult book illustrated on the inside?! Pre-order this from Book Depository here.

    Fab: I adored Jennifer Saint’s debut, Ariadne, in 2021 (see my review here), and thought that cover was absolutely stunning. But her sophomore novel, Elektra, is even more beautiful. Out on April 22nd, this tells the story of three women: Elektra, her mother Clytemnestra and the woman cursed to prophecy the brutal events to befall them all, Cassandra. I look forward to reading another nuanced reworking of Greek mythology, focusing on the perspectives of the often passive women. This is sure to be a great read, and if you haven’t read Ariadne yet, I recommend you get a copy of that while you wait for Elektra to be released. You can order a copy of Ariadne here and Elektra here via Bookshop (affiliate links).

    Fab: T. Kingfisher has a tendency to write comfort reads. And Nettle and Bone, out on April 26th sounds like it will fit that bill perfectly. Growing up under an abusive prince, Marra has realised that no one will save her and her sisters if she doesn’t do it herself. Seeking help from a powerful gravewitch, Marra is offered the tools to kill the prince – if she can complete three impossible tasks. But, as is the way in tales of princes, witches, and daughters, the impossible is only the beginning… This, like many of Kingfisher’s stories is one of a motley crew, an itinerant quest and humour. Oh, and there’s a chicken possessed by a demon, which might be a selling point too. You can order this one from Bookshop here (affiliate link).

    Fab: Unicorns have been pink, fluffy and cute for far too long. So, I’m thrilled for Skandar and the Unicorn Thief by A.F. Steadman, out on April 28th. This middle grade fantasy debut presents unicorns as deadly beasts – more akin to dragons than innocent creatures. Skandar has always wanted to become a unicorn rider. And how, he’s finally getting ready to take his Hatchery Exam. But when his exam is stopped and a thief steals the most powerful unicorn out there, Skandar realises that becoming a rider is far more dangerous than he expected. In typical middle grade fashion, he is drawn into epic battles, big time magic and adventures bigger than expected. This sounds like a hoot, and I’ll be reading this as soon as I can. Pre-order it from Bookshop here (affiliate link).

    Fab: So Xiran Jay Zhao convinced me that they can write pretty damn well with their #1 NYT Bestselling debut Iron Widow. Which means that I’m now going to devour anything they write – especially if it sounds as tempting as Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor. Out on May 3rd, this is a Percy Jackson-style middle grade fantasy adventure based on Chinese mythology. Zack is very surprised when he learns that he’s supposed to host the spirit of the First Emperor of China to help seal the Underworld, and when the possession goes wrong, and the Emperor accidentally possesses Zack’s AR gaming headset, all hell breaks loose. This leads to a merry chase through China, to save both the world and his mum. FUN! Pre-order this from Book Depository here.

    Out on May 3rd, When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill features a world in which thousands of women have spontaneously transformed into dragons. Set in an alternate version of the 1950s, in which the Mass Dragoning of 1955 has taken place – an event which caused women, seemingly chosen at random, to transform into dragons, complete with talons, wings and fire-breathing abilities. And, they are never spoken of again. This is the world Alex Green grows up in and has to make sense of. A world in which women are kept small, where they disappear, where there is a desperate need for answers but the questions aren’t asked. This sounds brilliant and unique and I need it. Pre-order a copy via Book Depository here.

    Fab: Holly Black is a huge name in YA, and on May 3rd, she’s set to take the adult fantasy world by storm with Book of Night. This is the story of Charlie Hall, who lives in a world where shadows can be altered – for entertainment, cosmetic preferences, but also power. They can be used to manipulate emotions. Your shadow holds all the parts of you that you want to keep hidden—a second self, standing just to your left, walking behind you into lit rooms. And sometimes, it has a life of its own. And Charlie’s a con-artist trying to survive and make a life in this world while working as a bartender. I love the concept of the shadow magic, and am really looking forward to seeing how Holly Black’s writing transitions to the adult market. Pre-order this one via Book Depository here.

    Fab: Miss the comfort of Harry Potter from your childhood but not the transphobia and lack of diversity? Dhonielle Clayton’s got you covered. Her first middle grade, The Marvellers is being published on May 3rd and features a global magic school in the sky and a black girl protagonist. Just read this description of the school from the blurb: “Marvellers from all around the world come together to practice their cultural arts like brewing Indian spice elixirs, practicing Caribbean steel drum hypnosis, and bartering with fussy Irish faeries.” This sounds like an amazing place and I am so looking forward to diving into this world of international magic, drawing on such a variety of heritage. Add in main character Ella having to prove herself as the first Conjurer to attend the school and all sorts of weird things going on and you’ve got a great sounding book right there! Pre-order via Book Depository here.

    Fab: Out on May 3rd, Tori Bovalino’s Not Good For Maidens is a retelling of Christina Rosetti’s “Goblin Market”. The blurb sounds so delicious: “Lou never believed in superstitions or magic–until her teenage aunt Neela is kidnapped to the goblin market. The market is a place Lou has only read about–twisted streets, offerings of sweet fruits and incredible jewels. Everything–from the food and wares, to the goblins themselves–is a haunting temptation for any human who manages to find their way in. Determined to save Neela, Lou learns songs and spells and tricks that will help her navigate this dangerous world and slip past a goblin’s defenses–but she only has three days to find Neela before the market disappears and her aunt becomes one of them forever. If she isn’t careful, the market might just end up claiming her too.” I can’t put it better than that – sounds like a wonderful twisty story to curl up with. You can pre-order a copy via Book Depository here.

    Fab: Probably my number one comfort book of 2021 was One Last Stop. So I’m extremely excited for more sapphic Casey McQuiston. I Kissed Shara Wheeler is coming on May 3rd and not a day too soon – I can’t wait to binge it as soon as it’s out. From the blurb, this sounds like Shara is an absolute disaster bi which I thoroughly identify with – and she’s gone missing. And the girl and guys she’s made out with have to find her. I’m not sure whether this is more rom-com or actually has a supernatural twist like One Last Stop, but either way, I’m here for it and it sounds heartwarming and hilarious. Pre-order this via Book Depository here.

    Fab: I’ve wanted to read one of Ryan La Sala’s books for ages – and while they all sound like a hoot, The Honeys is the most me of them so far. Out on May 3rd, this features Mars, a genderfluid protagonist, which I’m especially excited to read about. It is also a dark academia book, so double excitement. Mars has always been the lesser twin. But when his sister dies, he attends her prestigious school in her stead, and gets involved with her group of friends, called the Honeys, equally beautiful and terrifying. And Mars is convinced that they have something to do with his sister’s death… Pre-order The Honeys from Book Depository here.

    Fab: Seasonal Fears by Seanan McGuire is the follow-up to the fantastic Middlegame. This one is out on May 3rd and features a new cast of characters. This follows Melanie, who has a tragic destiny, and Harry, who doesn’t want to believe in destiny because that would mean accepting losing the person who lights up his life. So of course they are excited when a new road presents itself… But if you’ve read Middlegame, you already know about the weird things that come with walking down that particular road. I’m excited to dive back into that world. Pre-order this one from Book Depository here.

    Fab: My first history obsession as a kid was with Pompeii, and a few years ago I got to actually fulfill my dream of visiting the site. So it’s no wonder that I loved Elodie Harper’s The Wolf Den (see my review here) – and got to see it used to tick off another bucket list dream, when the publisher used my review as part of the endorsements printed in the paperback edition. Of course I can’t wait to see where the story goes in The House With the Golden Door, out on May 12th. The first book follows Amara as she fights her way out of being a slave in Pompeii’s brothel, the Lupinar, and the second continues her story as she adjusts to life with a benefactor that she might not know as well as she thought she did. These books are written with compassion and a healthy dose of modern feminism and evaluate what it means to belong to oneself. If you haven’t read book one yet, you can get a copy here, and pre-order a copy of The House with the Golden Door from Bookshop here (affiliate links).

    Fab: The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah is out on May 17th and is inspired by One Thousand and One Nights. The story is about Loulie, the Midnight Merchant, a criminal, who steals and sells magic – illegal magic – with the help of her jinn bodyguard. When she saves the life of a cowardly prince, she draws the attention of his powerful father, the sultan, who blackmails her into finding an artefact that has powers to benefit the land… but destroy all living jinn. But of course, Loulie is in a position where she doesn’t have choice, and so a magical adventure begins. It sounds amazing, and perfect for fans of S.A. Chakraborty’s Daevabad series. Pre-order The Stardust Thief from Bookshop here (affiliate link).

    Fab: Another for the queer YA brigade, Rose Szabo’s sophomore novel, We All Fall Down, out on June 7th, is about the complex networks of power and the pain that they create. From the blurb: “Moving between the decaying Old City and the ruthless New, four young queer people struggle with the daily hazards of life―work, school, dodging ruthless cops and unscrupulous scientists―not realizing that they have been selected to play in an age-old drama that revives the flow of magic through their world. When a mysterious death rocks their fragile peace, the four are brought into each other’s orbits as they uncover a deeper magical conspiracy.” Colour me intrigued. Pre-order a copy from Book Depository here.

    Fab: If I had to pick some top books from my list of most anticipated, Wrath Goddess Sing by Maya Deane would be on it. Out on June 7th, this is an #ownvoices trans reworking of the Iliad. Achilles famously hides among women in the original tale, and I’ve always found that episode in the epic very interesting. And reading the blurb for this, I think that there is a very interesting story here – it will probably be one that will cause a bit of an uproar, but one that will make me fall in love. Just read this excerpt from the blurb: “Achilles has fled her home and her vicious Myrmidon clan to live as a woman with the kallai, the transgender priestesses of Great Mother Aphrodite. When Odysseus comes to recruit the “prince” Achilles for a war against the Hittites, she prepares to die rather than fight as a man. However, her divine mother, Athena, intervenes, transforming her body into the woman’s body she always longed for, and promises her everything: glory, power, fame, victory in war, and, most importantly, a child born of her own body. Reunited with her beloved cousin, Patroklos, and his brilliant wife, the sorceress Meryapi, Achilles sets out to war with a vengeance.” Squabbling gods, trans heroes for the ages – and far less toxic masculinity? I kind of suspect that this may join my all-time favourite books. Oh, and should I mention that it has Helen in an active role engineering her fortune rather than a passive damsel waiting to be fought over? Pre-order this from Bookshop here (affiliate link).

    Fab: Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid is out on June 7th, and set in the same world as their debut, The Wolf and the Woodsman, which I loved. While the two books share a secondary world, they are set in different times and places within that realm, so they are both standalones. This is a gothic horror retelling of The Juniper Tree – and I love both the genre and retellings so this will be right up my street. It tells the story of a young witch who seeks to discover her identity and to escape the domination of her wizard father during a period of shift from magic to industry. Marlinchen and her sisters are some of the last true witches – really, little more than a tourist trap – but at night they sneak out to revel in the city’s thrills, where Marlinchen meets a dancer who captures her heart. As things grow ever more fervent, a monster lurks in its midst, and Marlinchen, caught between history and progress, tradition and desire, must draw on her magic to keep the city safe and find her own place. Sounds brilliant, and I have high hopes. You can pre-order this via Book Depository here.



    Fab: Out on June 14th, Valiant Ladies by Melissa Grey is a YA historical fiction novel based on real seventeenth century teens called the Valiant Ladies of Potosì. “By day Eustaquia “Kiki” de Sonza and Ana Lezama de Urinza are proper young seventeenth century ladies. But when night falls, they trade in their silks and lace for swords and muskets, venturing out into the vibrant, bustling, crime-ridden streets of Potosí, in the Spanish Empire’s Viceroyalty of Peru. They pass their time fighting, gambling, and falling desperately in love with one another.” Queer girls spending their nights fighting with swords and pretending to be proper ladies by day? YES PLEASE. Also, why have I not read like a million stories about these girls before? I can’t wait. Pre-order Valiant Ladies from Book Depository here.

    Fab: I am very excited for The Midnighters by Hana Tooke. I loved her debut, The Unadoptables, which was everything I love in middle grade, so this will be great too. Out on June 23rd, this is the story of Ema, a girl who grows up in a family of scientists. There isn’t much space there for superstition or omens, though they seem to follow her wherever she goes – and it doesn’t help that she seems able to predict things before they happen… When Ema is sent to stay with a mysterious uncle in Prague, she fears she’s lost any chance to ever fit in, but she meets Silvie, and makes a friend to go on secret midnight adventures with. But then Silvie goes missing, and it’s up to Ema to find her. Pre-order this one via Bookshop here (affiliate link).

    Fab: Another author on the list of Remixed Classics is Tasha Suri with What Souls Are Made Of. Out on the 5th of July, this reworks Wuthering Heights, a classic I’ve always had very mixed feelings about, so I’m very excited to see what she does with it. This Heathcliff is the son of an Indian sailor, flung into an alien life in the Yorkshire moors where he doesn’t fit. Catherine is the odd younger child, a daughter with a mother nobody talks about. She knows she must mold herself into a version that suits society even if it breaks her. The two find solace in each other and their occasional flights into the moor – and the shared half-remembered language of their unknown parents. But as in the original story, their relationship faces challenges and obstacles, and starts unraveling. I am very curious to read this version and think it sounds brilliant. Pre-order What Souls Are Made Of from Book Depository here.

    Fab: I don’t think Alix E. Harrow could write a book that I don’t want to read any of these days. I recently listened to her recent novella A Spindle Splintered, and A Mirror Mended is the follow up to that. It continues Zinnia Grey’s story after she has mostly broken her own curse and started out as a professional fairy-tale fixer. And now Snow White’s evil queen wants her help to prevent her dastardly fate… This slim volume is out on June 14th, and packs a punch. Not only do these books retell fairy-tales, but they analyse them at the same time and involve a lot of meta-discussion. So, perfect for nerd me! Catch up with A Spindle Splintered here, and pre-order A Mirror Mended here.

    Fab: Wake the Bones by Elizabeth Kilcoyne is giving me massive Southern Gothic vibes. Out on July 12th, this is a YA horror novel about Laurel Early, who wants nothing more than a quiet life as a tobacco hand and taxidermist after dropping out of college. But the farm has come to life, the pile of bones in front of her walked away and a devil from her past come calling. This sounds like a book that lives of its uncanny vibes and I’m all here for it. If the cover’s anything to go by in terms of atmosphere, this is going to be a brilliant read, perfect for those long summer evenings, where we all need a chill to cool us down… Pre-order this one via Book Depository here.

    Fab: I’ve been excited for Silk Fire by Zabé Ellor, out on July 5th, for quite a while. But now that the gorgeous cover has been revealed too, I’m even more hyped. It features dragons, courtesans, queers and magic. So pretty much all the Fab-catnip. Read (part of) the blurb and join me in excitement: “Elite courtesan Koré knew that meddling in politics could end badly, particularly when trying to sabotage his aristocratic father’s campaign for high office before it destroys the city loves. And when a chance encounter with a dying god imbues him with magic-breathing powers, it gets worse: he suddenly becomes a commodity, one the political establishment will do anything to control.” Pre-order Silk Fire from Book Depository here.

    Fab: Tentatively scheduled for July 7th, Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson’s debut The Principle of Moments is going to be your next book obsession. Think V.E. Schwab’s Shades of Magic series, but queerer, meets space opera and a fantastic heroine. This is the current blurb: “Asha Akindele lives in a future gripped by oppression, just one more human forced to assemble weapons for a war they’ll never win. Then she discovers she has a sister imprisoned by Emperor Thracin and is forced to make a choice: remain a slave, or escape and risk everything. With the help of time-traveller Obi, who just wants to return to London, 1811, and his almost-boyfriend Prince George, Asha must travel through the stars to save a sister she’s never met – and in doing so save worlds.” I can promise you that it’s absolutely brilliant and I cannot wait to see the finished product. A must to pre-order, which you can do here via Bookshop (affiliate link).

    Fab: Dauntless by Elisa A. Bonnin is another one of those books that have been on my radar for far too long, and are finally coming out in 2022. This Filipino-inspired fantasy is being released on July 19th. This is a story of two girls from opposing cultures who fall in love and have to save their worlds while doing so. Also, they’re warriors. While this doesn’t sound like the most inventive YA fantasy ever, the Filipino setting is what makes this one stand out. And let’s be honest, I’ll always be here for sapphic YA fantasy. Pre-order this one from Book Depository here.

    Fab: Dark academia and vampires sound like your jam? Then you should check out Youngblood by Sasha Laurens, out on July 19th. This is set at an elite vampires-only boarding school (it reminds me of the mountains of trashy early 2010s YA I read in the best possible way) – but it’s queer, and addresses class issues, and oh, the vampires have to drink synthetic blood because the humans have spread a virus that is toxic to vampires. The blurb hints at an enemies-to-lovers arc (my fave trope) and a lot of intrigue and dramaaaaa. Sounds like such fun. Pre-order a copy from Book Depository here.

    Fab: Her Majesty’s Royal Coven is Juno Dawson’s adult debut, out from Harper Voyager on July 21st. It features a secret government agency of witches founded by Queen Elizabeth I. But when the genocide of all witches is prophecied, all hell breaks loose… Knowing Juno Dawson’s work, this will be queer as fuck and extremely political, and tackle some heavy themes in interesting ways. I can’t wait to see what she does for a more mature audience, and I was sold at queer witchy book already (yes, I’m a simple Fab). You can already pre-order copies of this beauty from Bookshop here (affiliate link).

    Fab: Queer witchy books are my brand. So I’d be remiss if I didn’t add The Witchery by S. Isabelle to this list. Out on July 26th, this promises to be a great YA fantasy about a town of witches, and the tensions between humans, witches and wolves. There’s a witch academy, some morally g(r)ay witches and curses that come with huge costs to break. Sounds like perfect escapism for the summer holidays and I am very excited to dive in. It reminds me a bit of Sarah Gailey’s When We Were Magic crossed with Zoraida Córdova’s Brooklyn Brujas, which I both enjoyed a lot. Pre-order a copy from Book Depository here.

    Fab: Legendborn by Tracy Deonn is one of my favourite YA novels of all time – I loved it so much I wrote half my MA dissertation on it. I am incredibly thrilled that its sequel, Bloodmarked, is finally coming out on July 26th. And just look at the stunning cover featuring Bree and broody boy Selwyn Kane (and Excalibur!). I can’t wait to see where the story takes these characters after THAT ending. I think this series is probably the single most creative take on the Arthurian tales that is currently available, with a healthy pinch of Rick Riordan’s modern approach to mythology, a big dose of Black girl magic and a dash of the best portrayal of grief I’ve ever seen. This book resonated with me on so many levels, and I have extremely high expectations of the sequel. Get yourself Legendborn here, and pre-order Bloodmarked here.

    Fab: The Book of Gothel by Mary McMyne does one of my favourite things: it takes a known story, here that of Rapunzel, and retells it from a different perspective. This centres Haelwise, the witch of the tower of Gothel, the villain of the fairy tale, and tells the story from her perspective. And to me, witches and villains often have the more interesting stories to tell… So obviously I can’t wait for this to come out on July 28th (it’s a wonder writing this post isn’t sending me on a huge pre-order spree, I think it’s merely me being broke already that’s saving my bank account…). Pre-order a copy via Bookshop here (affiliate link).

    Fab: Out on August 11th, The Monsters We Defy by L. Penelope is further proof of the amazing streak the team at Orbit is on. It doesn’t have a cover yet, but I imagine it’ll be as stunning on the outside as the description is. This is a historical fantasy set in the Washington, DC of 1925, where a woman able to communicate with spirits has to assemble a ragtag crew to pull of a daring heist. Weaving together African American folk magic, history and romance, this sounds like a huge hit. A malevolent entity has started praying on Negro residents, and Clara Johnson is determined to figure out how to help her community. In the process, a powerful spirit tasks her to steal an ancient magical ring straight from the finger of a wealthy socialite. This leads Clara to meet Israel Lee, a supernaturally enhanced jazz musician, also trying to steal the same ring – and the two decide to band together to pull of this feat, and start building a crew… It sounds so fun, and set in a wonderful, rich world full of stunning imagery. Pre-order this from Bookshop here (affiliate link).

    Fab: One of the greatest hits of 2021 was the Sapphic Trifecta. And with The Oleander Sword by Tasha Suri, out on the 18th of August, the first sequel (complete with stunning cover) has been announced. This is the follow-up to The Jasmine Throne, which blew my mind earlier this year (see my review here), and continues the story of my favourite messy sapphics, Priya and Malini. This extract from the blurb shows how much Tasha will be stomping on my heart again: “Their chosen paths once pulled them apart. But Malini and Priya’s hearts remain as entwined as their destinies, and they soon realize they must come together again if they wish to save their kingdom from those who would rather see it burn—no matter what it will cost them.” And masochist as I am, I can’t wait. Of course, there’s also lots of magic, prophecy and intrigue, but MALINI AND PRIYA. If you haven’t read book one yet, I suggest you get yourself a copy here while you wait, and pre-order The Oleander Sword here (affiliate links).

    Fab: Another example of how a pretty cover gets a Fab to read books. Belladonna by Adalyn Grace is out on August 23rd and was on my TBR before I’d even read the blurb. But that doesn’t mean that the blurb isn’t just as seductive. This is the story of a girl who has to tangle with Death to solve a murder – Signa has been raised by a series of guardians more interested in her wealth than her well-being, all of whom have perished in unfortunate circumstances (A Series of Unfortunate Events vibes, anyone?). And now she’s with her last set of living relatives. And she’s figured out that the mother of the family was poisoned rather than died of an illness and time is running out to save the daughter, which means she has to ally with Death himself to figure out what is going on… Sounds fun and entertaining, the kind of dark YA I love. Pre-order this one from Book Depository here.

    Fab: R.F. Kuang came onto the scene with her Poppy War trilogy. And now she’s back with a very different sort of book. Babel, or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translator’s Revolution is out on August 23rd and sounds absolutely amazing. This is a dark academia set in the early-ish nineteenth century, around Robin Swift, adopted from his native Canton to London, where he is trained in languages dead and alive in preparation to when he will one day join Oxford’s famous institute for translation, known as Babel – which is not only a brilliant academic institution, but a magical one. From the blurb: “Oxford, the city of dreaming spires, is a fairytale for Robin; a utopia dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. But knowledge serves power, and for Robin, a Chinese boy raised in Britain, serving Babel inevitably means betraying his motherland. As his studies progress Robin finds himself caught between Babel and the shadowy Hermes Society, an organization dedicated to sabotaging the silver-working that supports imperial expansion. When Britain pursues an unjust war with China over silver and opium, Robin must decide: Can powerful institutions be changed from within, or does revolution always require violence? What is he willing to sacrifice to bring Babel down?” It sounds like this really asks a lot of interesting questions and I am very excited to read this, combining so many of my interests. Alas, no pre-order links just yet, but keep an eye out!

    Fab: Out on August 25th, The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen doesn’t have a cover yet, but it has comps – and those alone got me interested. The publisher pitches this as The Princess Bride meets The House in the Cerulean Sea and if that’s not a brilliant combo in terms of vibes, I don’t know what is. It’s also got an extensive synopsis: Hart, demigod and marshal, patrolling wastelands to ensure they are clear of reanimated corpses – giving him far too much time to think about things he’d rather not think about meets Mercy, undertaker single-handedly running Birdsall & Son – despite very clearly not being a son – and having quite the opposite problem, trying to keep all those plates spinning. They bicker – but they both might have a point. And so Hart sends an anonymous letter addressed to “A Friend” via animal messenger… and to his surprise, he gets a response. If only he knew he was actually corresponding with Mercy. It sounds delightful and I can’t wait. Pre-order a copy via Bookshop here.

    Fab: Sometimes all I need to know about a book is the title, and the rest is optional extras. The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean is one of those – because how could I possibly resist a title like that. It’s not out until September 1st, but my need to devour it is strong already. Just read the blurb: “Out on the Yorkshire Moors lives a secret line of people for whom books are food, and who retain all of a book’s content after eating it. To them, spy novels are a peppery snack; romance novels are sweet and delicious. Eating a map can help them remember destinations, and children, when they misbehave, are forced to eat dry, musty pages from dictionaries. Devon is part of The Family, an old and reclusive clan of book eaters. Her brothers grow up feasting on stories of valor and adventure, and Devon—like all other book eater women—is raised on a carefully curated diet of fairytales and cautionary stories. But real life doesn’t always come with happy endings, as Devon learns when her son is born with a rare and darker kind of hunger—not for books, but for human minds.” AMAZING. Pre-order a copy from Bookshop here (affiliate link).

    Fab: Self-Made Boys by Anna Marie McLemore, their second entry on this list, may not have a cover yet, but that doesn’t mean I’m any less excited for it to come out on the 6th of September. This too is part of the Remixed Classics series – a reworking of The Great Gatsby, but make it trans. This Nick is Nicolás Caraveo, a trans boy from Minnesota, who wants to establish himself in New York as a young professional, not only for his own benefit but to help his whole family. He rents a place to stay from his cousin Daisy, who has erased any trace of her Latina heritage and passes as white. Through her, he meets the mysterious Jay Gatsby, who throws extravagant parties at his castle-like mansion – largely to impress Daisy – and as Nick is pulled into Jay’s orbit, he finds out that Jay too is trans, and falls hard for this version of the American dream. I’m not the biggest fan of Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, but I am a massive McLemore fan and I tend to love everything they write, while also having a soft spot for very queer YA, so I expect to fall as hard for Self-Made Boys as Nick does for Jay. Pre-order this from Book Depository here.

    Fab: Out on September 13th, Alexandra Overy’s The Gingerbread Witch doesn’t have a cover yet, but it nevertheless sounds delightful. This is a YA fantasy heavily influenced by fairy-tale worlds, in which young Maud has grown up in a gingerbread house, desiring nothing more than to become a witch like Mother Agatha. But like all of Agatha’s creations, she will turn back into gingerbread if anything happens to Agatha. And, after a terrible fight, Maud storms off, and when she returns, she learns that Hansel and Gretel, a pair of witch hunters, have pushed Agatha into the cottage’s oven… So it is up to Maud to find a way to save herself and the other gingerbread creations from turning back into inanimate objects – a quest far from easy, especially with witch hunters on her trail… It sounds so fun and I can totally see myself reading this while munching on a ton of gingerbread… (yes, I’m a terrible person!) Pre-order this from Book Depository here.

    Fab: There is exactly one reason why I am the Twitter-obsessed weirdo I am today. And that is Susan Dennard and The Luminaries. This YA fantasy, out in October, doesn’t have a proper title yet (The Luminaries is the series title rather than the book itself), but it originally started life as a choose-your-own adventure thread on Twitter in 2019. Susan had us hooked for almost six months, following along the adventures of Winnie Wednesday, Ugh-Jay and co – and trust me when I say the hivemind was VERY STUPID. I can’t wait to see where the actually-well-written version of the story goes (check out the current version of the first chapter here), given that I’ve been a DenNerd since day 1 – I’ve read everything Susan’s published and loved it, and she’s also one of the loveliest humans I’ve ever met. If you haven’t been obsessed with The Luminaries since the beginning, this is an exciting contemporary fantasy about monster-hunting families named after the days of the week, and a story full of magic, mystery and secrecy. I NEEDS IT. Alas, no pre-order links just yet, but keep an eye out!

    Fab: One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig isn’t out until October 18th, but damn, if that cover and description isn’t tempting! Just looking at this image is making me think that this story is going to be dark and gloomy and atmospheric as anything and I am so excited for those vibes. Elspeth Spindle needs a monster to stay safe – one she calls the Nightmare. But magic comes with a price, and the Nightmare is slowly taking over her mind. Together with a mysterious highwayman, who happens to be the King’s nephew, she tries to keep control of her own mind, and cure the evil befalling their kingdom… Pre-order this one via Book Depository here.

    Fab: Sir Callie and the Champion of Helston by Esme Symes-Smith isn’t out until November, so it doesn’t have a cover or exact date yet – nor any pre-order links for that matter. But this is the middle grade book of my dreams. 12-year-old Callie is non-binary, and they’re ready to smash gender rules in order to become a knight. As their dad – an ex-hero – is summon to the royal capital of Helston to train a hopeless prince, you better believe that Callie seizes that opportunity to become an official knight-in-training. But, Helston is full of people who believe only boys can be knights, and magic is for girls, so Callie and their friends will have to go and fight some bigotry before they can deal with the bigger threats. SO MUCH YES PLEASE.

    Fab: It feels like this list contains far too few graphic novels, but The Marble Queen by Anna Kopp and illustrator Gabrielle Kari is here to change that. Not out until November 22nd, this doesn’t have an official cover yet, so we have to make do with the placeholder. It is a sapphic YA graphic novel with sword fighting, political intrigue and magic – so all the good things. Princess Amelia’s kingdom is in shambles, and so when she receives an offer of marriage from the royalty of the mysterious country of Iliad, she says yes without much thought. Unexpectedly, she soon finds out that her betrothed is the newly crowned Queen Salira – a situation that awakens unknown feelings in Amelia… The story also deals with anxiety, so it sounds pretty damn perfect. Alas, no pre-order links yet, but keep an eye out!

    Fab: Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir is still shrouded in mystery. It is announced for Fall 2022, but there is no synopsis yet, nor any pre-order links that I could find. This is the third book in Muir’s Locked Tomb series, which was only recently announced – it was originally planned to be a trilogy and now expanded into a four-book-series. I loved both Gideon and Harrow, so I can’t wait to dive back into the world of the disaster lesbian necromancers. And I’m just as excited to see Tommy Arnold’s cover art, because those covers are just glorious works of art.

    Fab: We don’t have an exact date or a cover for Even Though I Knew the End by C.L. Polk, just a vague Fall 2022 indication from the publisher. But a) Polk’s work is always fantastic (I’ve been shouting about The Midnight Bargain especially to everyone who might listen, and I highly recommend you get yourself a copy of that one here to tide you over) and b) the blurb sounds brilliant and so it deserves to be hyped far in advance. Even Though I Knew the End is a historical urban fantasy set in early twentieth century Chicago – an exiled augur who sold her soul to save her brother’s life is offered one last job before facing eternity in hell… To sweeten the deal, the client offers her the one perk she can’t resist: the chance to grow old with the woman she loves. To do so, she just has to track down the White City Vampire, a notorious serial killer. In three days. Easy peasy. This sounds absolutely brilliant and I know I’ll love it – keep an eye out!

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  • Something Special

    The Subjective Kind of Chaos Awards – Winners!

    November 14, 2021 /

    Libri Draconis has had the great honour of being part of the judging team of this year’s Subjective Kind of Chaos Awards – along with a host of other wonderful bloggers. This year’s judging team consisted of Anna (@Imyril/There is always room for one more), Adri (@adrijjy/Nerds of a Feather), Arina (@voyagerarina/The Bookwyrm’s Guide to the Galaxy), Jonny (@SFFjonbob/Parsecs & Parchment), Kris (@hammard_1987/Cloaked Creators), L.A. (Aquavenatus), Lisa (@deargeekplace/Dear Geek Place), Womble (@runalongwomble/Runalongtheshelves), Noria (@noriathereader/Chronicles of Noria), Sean (@DowieSean/Nerds of a Feather) and our very own Sun (@suncani1). Check out our launch post for the full list of nominees in all the categories here, and without further ado, here are our wonderful winners. Massive congratulations to all of the authors, we had a huge blast reading and a very difficult time choosing – and a few thoughts from the jury on all of the winning books.

    BEST FANTASY

    Now, I’ve been reliably informed that we introduced a new sort of chaos into these awards by choosing joint winners for the category of BEST FANTASY NOVEL: The Midnight Bargain by C.L. Polk and The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow. The jury loved both of these books and this is what we said about them:

    “The Midnight Bargain is not only a wonderful story about witches in a richly imagined Regency-style setting, but it’s a clever exploration of reproductive rights and bodily autonomy. It is a thoroughly modern and political book while masquerading as a gorgeous escapist fantasy, and that makes it a fantastic read.”

    “Alix E. Harrow has crafted something truly special with The Once and Future Witches. Her prose is by turns powerful and deft of touch, and blends together fantasy, fairytale and history into a thoroughly modern classic.”

    BEST SCIENCE FICTION

    The award for BEST SCIENCE FICTION NOVEL goes to The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson, which the jury called “A beautiful intelligent story exploring the parallel worlds concept but also combining it with issues of racism, classism and yet also has a core of hope running throughout.”

    BEST BLURRED BOUNDARIES

    I am thrilled to be on a second jury this year to award Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. She already won the British Fantasy Award for Best Horror Novel, and now she’s also won the SKOC award for BEST BLURRED BOUNDARIES. Some thoughts from the jury: “This stylish thriller blends Gothic tropes with 50s noir and body horror. Expect modern themes of prejudice and complicity in an unapologetically creepy tale of controlling families and psychedelic fungus.”

    BEST DEBUT

    I am especially thrilled that the award for BEST DEBUT NOVEL goes to Tracy Deonn’s Legendborn – one of my all-time favourite books. In the words ouf our jury:

    “Legendborn is not only one of the most creative reworkings of Arthurian myth – making the corpus truly the author’s own – but it is a tender exploration of grief and Black girl magic in a richly crafted world touching on slavery, privilege and secret societies.”

    BEST NOVELLA

    The award for BEST NOVELLA goes to Nghi Vo and The Empress of Salt and Fortune. I loved this little novella which really packed a lot into a slim volume. Our jury said: “The Empress of Salt and Fortune is an epic tale in miniature: a mosaic of moments and manipulations that resolve into a bigger picture of rebellion.”

    BEST SHORT FICTION

    Our winning piece of SHORT FICTION is C.L. Clark’s “You Perfect, Broken Thing”. While this doesn’t have a shiny cover, as it’s a short story, it has a shiny link! You can read it for free over at Uncanny Magazine here and see it’s brilliance for yourself. And this is what we had to say about it:

    “This is a story about an athlete competing in a Race which forces her to push her sick body to its limits to win a cure. There’s a perfect blend of camaraderie between the main character and their training partners, and the desperate, unfair competition they are pushed into to survive; these are characters still fighting in the face of constant, overwhelming struggle and that’s a powerful, challenging, necessary thing.”

    BEST SERIES

    BEST SERIES is awarded to R.F. Kuang for her series The Poppy War. Mindblowing, epic and brilliant, in the words of our jury:

    “Based on the Sino-Japanese War (1937-45), R.F. Kuang’s trilogy starts off as an academic fantasy, transforms into a military historical fantasy, and ends as a grimdark narrative. This Asian-inspired series delves into the layers and the consequences of power and warfare.”

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  • Something Special

    Subjective Kind of Chaos Awards 2021 – The Finalists

    September 12, 2021 /

    We’ve been reading. We’ve been deliberating. And we have made some tough but necessary decisions – whittling it down to the finalists in all the categories. Without further ado, here are the 2021 SKCA finalists!

    Best Fantasy

    The Midnight Bargain, C.L. Polk

    The Once and Future Witches, Alix E. Harrow

    Best Science Fiction

    The Space Between Worlds, Micaiah Johnson

    Goldilocks, Laura Lam

    Best Debut

    Legendborn, Tracy Deonn

    Cemetery Boys, Aiden Thomas

    The Year of the Witching, Alexis Henderson

    Best Blurred Boundaries

    The Bone Shard Daughter, Andrea Stewart

    Mexican Gothic, Silvia Moreno-Garcia

    Interior Chinatown, Charles Yu

    Best Novella

    The Empress of Salt and Fortune, Nghi Vo

    Ring Shout, P. Djeli Clark

    Best Short Fiction

    “You Perfect, Broken Thing”, C.L. Clark, Uncanny Magazine 32, available here

    “Yellow and the Perception of Reality”, Maureen McHugh, Tor.com, available here

    Best Series

    The Poppy War, R.F. Kuang

    Dominion of the Fallen, Aliette de Bodard

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  • Something Special

    Debut Author Interview Project: Gabriela Houston

    April 17, 2021 /

    And today we have Gabriela Houston and her debut The Second Bell stopping in. This one not only sounds brilliant, but I’ve also reviewed it on Grimdark Magazine (read my review here). I loved this book so much, and I hope this will make you want to check it out too. Add it on Goodreads here, and order a copy via Bookshop here (affiliate link).

    Please tell us about your book

    The Second Bell is a Slavic-mythology-inspired fantasy novel, about a striga and her mother.

    In a remote community, sometimes a child is born with two hearts. Such a child is considered a monster and is cast out. My story follows a mother who chose to leave with her baby and a 19-year-old striga woman, as they navigate the strict social rules governing the striga village they live in and struggle against the taboos threatening to tear them apart.

    How did you celebrate its release?

    Under lockdown a celebration is a relative term. I had two different takeouts with my family during the day and then joined a zoom launch for my book which was lovely.

    Why and when did you start writing in earnest?

    I have always been quite earnest about my artistic pursuits, but it wasn’t until after my first child was born that I made the conscious decision to set up writing as a priority in my life. It works differently for different people, but for me that time in my life gave me the razor sharp focus on what I needed to make space in my life for.

    How many books did you write before your debut and what did you learn from them?

    Before The Second Bell I wrote one unpublishable moloch of a fantasy epic. I think it took me too long to complete it, and that resulted in a very uneven, underedited mess. It had some good bones and got a bit of initial interest from agents, but in the end I’m glad it didn’t find a home.

    It was a huge learning curve. I made ALL the mistakes. And that’s great. I try not to make the same ones twice.

    How has your relationship to writing changed after finding out that your debut would be published?

    I wouldn’t say it changed so much as all my plans and ambitions suddenly became more likely to be realised, which is a wonderful thing. It definitely gives you the push to work more, as you want to give yourself the best chance to succeed.

    What do you wish you had known before publishing your first book?

    No regrets. Except for the one phrase I should have edited out, which I found in the published book. That will haunt me for all eternity.

    What challenges do you face as a published author?

    I guess my experience so far has been so good, I need to be prepared that not everything will go as smoothly from now on necessarily! As a writer there’s a lot you have no control over, sadly, and I like the control.

    Do you feel the industry has been welcoming to you?

    Extremely! I have met some incredible people – bloggers, instagrammers, podcasters, other writers! All of whom are passionate about books and are rooting for the debut authors to succeed which is fantastic.

    How has the pandemic affected you creatively?

    I wrote a book and a half during the first lockdown (UK), which was great. Since then it’s been up and down to be honest, but with all the pre-launch work I was doing, there wasn’t much time to wallow really (and I did want to wallow, for sure!)

    Do you think that current events have changed the reception of your debut?

    It’s really hard to tell. There are themes tackled in the book that correspond to some of the wider issues at the moment, but whether or not they would have been seen in the same way under more normal circumstances is really hard to tell, especially as I don’t have much to compare it to.

    How do you approach reviews, what was your first negative review like?

    I have defied my agent’s directive to never ever go on Goodreads about a month before the book came out. I guess when you’re dealing with the publishers, your agent, and bloggers/magazine reviewers so much, you get lulled into a false sense of security, where you think “We all like books, right? Book people are my kind of people, the never-be-mean sort of people, who, if they dislike the book, will phrase their reservations in a kind, compassionate manner.”

    Needless to say, I will never again go on Goodreads.

    On a serious note though, even knowing that you can’t please everyone, there is no way you can prepare for people being unkind or dismissive about the work you’ve poured so much love into. But you grow thicker skin. Eventually.

    What are you planning next?

    I have a couple projects ready to query, and a couple of ideas more, but nothing’s set in stone for the moment.

    Do you have a set writing routine?

    I try to write every day (or pre-launch do writing work every day). I have a writing buddy who I meet on zoom and we both do our work with each other’s faces hovering in the corner of the screen. It helps to keep you motivated, and having someone to talk through the thorny plot bits with is incredibly helpful.

    What is your preferred writing soundtrack?

    I don’t always have one. It has to be something I know well though, or else I start focusing on the lyrics too much.

    Coffee, tea or other writing fuel?

    Both and either. I’m not picky, but I like sipping on something hot while writing.

    What was your favourite moment on the journey to publication?

    Strangers reaching out on social media to tell me they loved the book and that it meant something to them. It never fails to move me.

    What books (or other media) have you loved recently?

    Stacey Halls’ The Foundling, Tracy Deonn’s Legendborn, and right now I’m reading the wonderful The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec at the moment.

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  • Something Special

    Subjective Kind of Chaos Awards 2021

    February 27, 2021 /

    This is a bit of a special post. I’m very very excited to be part of the judging team for the Subjective Kind of Chaos Awards for 2021. These are blogger awards, focused on speculative fiction. This is the fourth year running – see this announcement of 2020’s winners here. This year’s judging team is consisting of Anna (@Imyril/There is always room for one more), Adri (@adrijjy/Nerds of a Feather), Arina (@voyagerarina/The Bookwyrm’s Guide to the Galaxy), Jonny (@SFFjonbob/Parsecs & Parchment), Kris (@hammard_1987/Cloaked Creators), L.A. (Aquavenatus), Lisa (@deargeekplace/Dear Geek Place), Womble (@runalongwomble/Runalongtheshelves), Noria (@noriathereader/Chronicles of Noria), Sean (@DowieSean/Nerds of a Feather) and Sun (@suncani1). They’re all wonderful people and bloggers, and I highly recommend you check them all out!

    But now, WE HAVE NOMINEES. This is not a false alert, we have actually decided on a fantastic roster of nominees for our various categories. As I am a glutton for punishment, I’ll be judging in all of them except for Sci-Fi. But luckily I have a while to read/reread all of these wonderful books. If there’s a link, it means I have reviewed the book before, and you can click to read it!

    BEST FANTASY

    BEST SCIENCE FICTION

    BEST BLURRED BOUNDARIES

    BEST DEBUT

    BEST NOVELLA

    BEST SERIES

    BEST SHORT FICTION

    • “Tiger Lawyer Gets It Right” by Sarah Gailey (from the Escape Pod anthology)
    • “Convergence in Chorus Architecture” by Dare Segun Falowo (from the Dominion anthology)
    • “In Kind” by Kayla Whaley (from the Vampires Never Get Old anthology)
    • “Volumes” by Laura Duerr (Cast of Wonders, online here)
    • “You Perfect, Broken Thing” by C.L. Clark (Uncanny Magazine, online here)
    • “Yellow and the Perception of Reality” by Maureen McHugh (Tor.com, online here)
    • “Juice Like Wounds” by Seanan McGuire (Tor.com, online here)

    And that’s all of them. Lots of reading to do, and I hope you’ll check out some of our choices!

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  • Something Special

    Favourite Books of 2020

    December 29, 2020 /

    Somehow I ended up reading more in 2020 than I ever have before (at least as far as I can remember). I aimed to read around 200 books as usual, and now, close to the very end of the year I’m aiming to hit 365 books read, one for each day of the year. Only a handful left to go! Among all these books were a lot of wonderful books, and I have chosen just three each for the various categories I read in. All the books in this post were five star reads that have stood out and I would unreservedly recommend (and order of naming is not to indicate order of preference).

    In terms of Adult SFF, my absolute favourite books this year were Sistersong, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and The Once and Future Witches. I got to review all three of these early, and damn, it was hard to wait until everyone else had the opportunity to read them so I had people go gush over them. The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow is a historical tale of suffragettes crossed with witchcraft. It is wonderfully written and features three sisters, utterly different but united in their struggle to persevere against the patriarchy. I reviewed it here, and you can order a copy from Bookshop here (affiliate link).

    The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab speaks of isolation and depression and how they effect our lives and personalities through the story of a girl who makes a deal with a devil for eternal life – only to have everyone she encounters forget her immediately. This book spoke to me on a level few books ever have and I love it with my whole heart. I have loved all of Schwab’s work, but this is the best one to date. Fantasy for people who like literary tales and the most amazing characters. See my review here, and order a copy from Bookshop here (affiliate link).

    The third book on this list, Sistersong by Lucy Holland is not actually out until April, but I was able to read an ARC of this haunting tale. My review isn’t written yet (I’m struggling to get past THIS BOOK IS AMAZING AND YOU NEED IT), but should be on Grimdark Magazine soon. Sistersong is the story of three siblings, retelling the ‘Twa Sisters’ folk ballad. It is set in a late antique Britain just before the coming of the Saxons, and tells of the society and struggles encountered by high-born women (and trans men – it features a character who we would call transmasculine today). Pre-order it from Bookshop here (affiliate link).

    In terms of YA, the three books I loved most have one thing in common: they are all retellings in one way or another. Legendborn, These Violent Delights and Dark and Deepest Red are uttely different, but I love all of them unreservedly. These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong is a reinterpretation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet set in 1920s Shanghai. Constantly in conversation with the famous play, These Violent Delights surpasses its source material by weaving a tale of colonialism, racial tension and supernatural plague with the memorable characters based on Romeo and Juliet, accompanied by a host of side characters that have just as much personality. Check out my review here, and order a copy from Bookshop here (affiliate link).

    I spent much of 2020 reading books based on medieval legends. But Legendborn is the one Arthurian-inspired novel that truly stood out from the crop. I loved this contemporary YA fantasy so much. Set on a university campus and featuring a heroine going go college early, Tracy Deonn reimagines the Knights of the Round Table as a supernatural secret society. Mixed in with are themes of Black Girl Magic, slavery and racism in the US. My review’s here, and you can order a copy from Bookshop here (affiliate link).

    Dark and Deepest Red by Anna-Marie McLemore was one of the first books I read in 2020 and it has stayed on my mind throughout the year. Combining the Strasbourg Dancing Plague of the early 16th century with the modern story of a girl and magical shoes, McLemore manages to write a near-perfect book (yes, Anna-Marie McLemore meets medieval legend is catnip for Fab). As all their books, Dark and Deepest Red features lyrical writing, queer characters and a Latinx twist. Order yourself a copy from Blackwell’s here.

    The three children’s book I chose are very different from each other, but I fell in love with all of them. A Kind of Spark, Orion Lost and The House of Hidden Wonders show the breadth of amazing children’s books currently being published in the UK. Orion Lost by Alastair Chisholm is the first middle grade space sci-fi I’ve read and it was wonderful. Featuring a rag-tag crew, a lot of failure and a compelling narrative, this one snuck into my heart. I love it when characters are challenged and forced to learn from their mistakes, and that is definitely the case here. Get a copy from Bookshop here (affiliate link).

    A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll is high up on my list of favourite middle grade books I’ve ever read. Featuring an own-voices autistic girl fighting for her goals, I feel like this should be required reading for everyone. Eleven year old Addie finds out about historic witch prosecutions in her Scottish town, and feeling a kinship with these women persecuted for being different, decides that she wants to dedicate a memorial to them. READ IT! See my full review here, and order a copy from Bookshop here (affiliate link).

    The House of Hidden Wonders by Sharon Gosling is also set in Scotland, however, this is a historical detective story (including a young Sherlock Holmes!). Addressing disability, this story also deals with difference and acceptance, and focuses on found family. I loved this charming and thrilling story and highly recommend it. Read my full review here, and order a copy from Bookshop here (affiliate link).

    This list wouldn’t be complete without some graphic novels/mangas! My favourites this year were Vinland Saga, Mooncakes and The Daughters of Ys. Vinland Saga by Yakoto Mukimura was my re-introduction to the world of Anime and Manga – a good friend watched the Anime series with me, combining my love for Viking legend with her passion for visual story telling. This (long-running) manga series is the story of Thorfinn, a young boy who loses his father and is raised as a warrior among enemies. The narrative follows King Canute and the Vikings in England – that’s about as far as I’ve gotten, I’ve only read the first five volumes. I can’t wait to read more of my favourite disaster boy next year! Order a copy of the first volume from Bookshop here (affiliate link).

    The Daughters of Ys by M.T. Anderson and Jo Rioux is based on a Breton folktale, tells a wonderfully dark story and has the most amazing art. I randomly picked this up in a shop and ended up loving it so much. Two royal sisters, Rozenn and Dahut both fight for their city in their own ways, and suitors to the princess mysteriously disappear in a city protected by magical walls… Order a copy from Bookshop here (affiliate link).

    Last on this list is the book that reignited my love for graphic novels this year: Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker and Wendy Xu. This adorable queer YA fantasy about werewolves, friendship and first love got me out of a massive reading slump during the first lockdown and I can’t rave about it enough. It is wonderful and cute and makes life better. Get a copy from Bookshop here (affiliate link).

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  • Hype!

    September Hype Post

    August 15, 2020 /

    So many AMAZING books to get excited about coming out in September that I’m breaking my own rules – half of these I’m going to be reviewing on here! But I’m literally jumping around with glee at the prospect of being able to hold them in my hands within the next month, so let me have this moment of excitement!

    Two of my favourite writers of queer YA are writing a book together. That’s about all I needed to know about Miss Meteor to make sure it went very high up on my excitement list. It is co-written by the fabulous Anna-Marie McLemore (check out their Dark and Deepest Red, for example) and Tehlor Kay Mejia (author of the We Set the Dark on Fire duology), this is a contemporary YA about Lita and Chicky, and the Miss Meteor pageant. I have no idea what I’m getting myself into, but I’m sure it will be brilliantly written, lyrical and heartbreakingly beautiful. I can’t wait. Miss Meteor is out on the 22nd of September and you can pre-order a copy from Amazon here.

    Anthologies are totally my jam. Especially diverse ones. And as someone who was a teenager around 2010 (aka peak Twilight era) I’m all for the tasteful return of vampires that come without a side of racism. I’m currently reading Vampires Never Get Old as I’m lucky enough to be on the Hear Our Voices Blog Tour (look out for my review on the 24th of September) for it, and I’ve loved the stories so far. They are queer (many of them) and clever and full of interesting characters, and the line-up Zoraida Cordova and Natalie C. Parker have managed to assemble is stellar. This one is also out on the 22nd, and you can pre-order it here.

    Arthurian mythology meets Black girl magic. I love seeing the diversity in modern takes on medieval stories, so I’m incredibly excited for Tracy Deonn’s Legendborn. I have an eARC so I’ve started reading the beginning, and I’m now doubly excited as it features the protagonist going to early entrance college, which I see myself represented in as a smarty-pants who went to uni at sixteen. A unique take on the mythos, with the Legendborn being descendants of the Arthurian knights and Merlins being mages, this urban fantasy is thoroughly modern. It’s out on the 15th of September and you can pre-order here.

    One of the books I’ve been most anticipating is Aiden Thomas’ Cemetery Boys. Originally supposed to be released in May, the pandemic has pushed it back, and it is now finally coming out on the first of September. Cemetery Boys features a trans boy trying to prove himself a real brujo. It is queer and features the most amazing cover – and from what I’ve seen on Twitter Aiden is a fantastic human being too who deserves all our support. It sounds like perfection, and I’ve pre-ordered my copy months ago – you should get yours too, for example from Hive here!

    Books about books are like catnip for nerds like me. So I’ve been eagerly awaiting Garth Nix’s The Left-Handed Booksellers of London ever since I first heard about it. And now it’s almost here – also published on the 22nd of September! Luckily I have an e-ARC thanks to the lovely folks over at Gollanz so do look out for my review soon. This is about fighting (left-handed) and intellectual (right-handed) booksellers, murder, magic and the most wonderful of all places, bookshops in my adopted home of London. And Garth Nix is nothing if not a damn good writer. So go ahead and just pre-order it. Click right here to do so.

    Last year, I absolutely devoured Rena Barron’s Kingdom of Souls. And while I’m desperately waiting for the sequel, she is now back with a middle grade novel that sounds just as amazing: Maya and the Rising Dark. Another one out on that magical 22nd of September, this is the story of twelve-year old Maya, godling, half human, half Orisha and full nerd. Her dad has gone missing, and she has to face the Lord of Shadows, a creature from her worst nightmares to try and get him back and save the world. The book sounds wonderful and exactly what I need to read once I hand in my dissertation. Pre-order a copy here.

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  • Something Special

    The Arthurian Megapost

    May 30, 2020 /

    This is something I’ve been cooking up for quite a while – I’ve been reading and collecting some of the hottest recent stories based on Arthurian myth! I love all the diversity that these authors have brought into medieval legend, and I’m sure you will find something that intrigues you!

    Look at this pile of books!

    A honorable mention needs to go out to Legendborn by Tracy Deonn, which will be published later this year. This modern take on the Arthurian legend features a black heroine, a secret society of descendants of King Arthur and his knights and magicians calling themselves Merlins! I have been excited for this ever since it was first announced, but sadly haven’t been able to read it yet. Pre-order via Book Depository.

    So. King Arthur, in space. But make it gay. This is the basic premise of the wonderfully quirky Once & Future by Amy Rose Capetta and Cori McCarthy. Ari, who in this incarnation happens to be a girl, finds out that she is actually Arthur reincarnated when she pulls Excalibur out of a stone in an intergalactic amusement park, leading to a romp through space, a fight against an evil corporation, and, of course, the wooing of Queen Gwen. A thoroughly modern take on the legends, this reinterpretation nevertheless features many of the classical elements of the Arthurian tales, while packaging the quest as a space heist with a queer ensemble crew. I loved it! Get yourself a copy from Waterstones here!

    In this just-published sequel to Once & Future, Sword in the Stars, Ari, Gwen, Merlin and company are on the run again and this time they are going native: back to the time of the original King Arthur! But of course, traveling through time and space does not go as planned, and the group gets separated, shaking up the dynamics of the team again. Many shenanigans ensue, and our crew of queer heroes shake up the Middle Ages and shape Arthurian legend into the story it should always have been. Sword in the Stars is a great conclusion to the duology, and I devoured every page. Full of twists and turns, these books are inclusive, fast-paced and thrilling story-telling as it should be. More of this kind of writing, please! This lovely book is available from Portal Bookshop here.

    Kiersten White is one of the greats of current YA, especially when it comes to retellings. After having had her go at Vlad Dracul (the And I Darken trilogy) and Frankenstein (The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein), she has now turned her attention towards Arthurian myth, with a trilogy starting with The Guinevere Deception. A mysterious girl posing as Guinevere is to marry Arthur, sent by Merlin to protect the young king. Lancelot is an outcast, and a girl, which I really do hope is a hint for queer stories to come in the sequels. The story starts off slow, but does pick up towards the later parts and poses more questions than it answers. The Guinevere Deception is a decent start to a new trilogy, and I am curious to see where the second book takes the story, although I am not as in love with the series as I was hoping to be. You can get yourself a copy via Hive!

    Written by Thomas Wheeler and illustrated by comics legend Frank Miller, Cursed is the book incarnation of what is intended to become a franchise. Announced from the start as a Netflix show (slated for release this year) as well as a book, I imagine this version of Arthurian legend focusing on Nimue will work better on TV. Nimue and her people are fey, hunted due to their race by the tyrannical Uther and friendly with young Arthur and Morgan. It is grand, and written in a manner that puts its weight on images and plot, rather than character development and prose. I have to admit that I struggled to get through the book, as I could not connect to the writing or the characters. I do hope that the change of medium will help the story find its audience, as I think Nimue could be a fascinating character if given enough development. If you are interested, you can get a copy via Hive.

    Published in March of this year in the UK, Lavie Tidhar’s By Force Alone is a period-set mashup of Arthurian myth. This Arthur is brash, young, and power-hungry, expanding his influence out from a small band of men based in London. If I’m being honest, I struggled a lot to get through this book, although I had been looking forward to reading it – it took me almost three months to finish it. It is fast paced, and the language used is rather crass and modern, breaking the illusion for me. This led to a disconnect between story and characters, and I was unable to immerse myself in the novel. While I do not usually mind authors taking creative license with historical source material, having dialogue that is clearly twenty-first century in a book set in the early medieval period does not work for me. I do see this being a personal preference, and I’m sure that By Force Alone will be a book that is great for a different type of reader! If you are interested, you can get a signed copy via Forbidden Planet.

    April Genevieve Tucholke’s Seven Endless Forests is a very loose retelling of Arthurian myth, including as many elements reminiscent of Norse stories as English. It is a companion novel to 2018’s The Boneless Mercies, which loosely retold a feminist Beowulf. Tucholke’s novels are slow, deliberate and infinitely poetical. They are quiet books reminiscent of medieval epics, centering on women shamelessly concerned with seeking glory and pursuing their personal aims, ignoring society’s conventions and expectations in favour of those. Here, the central element taken from Arthurian legend is the true ruler’s sword, with greatness thrust not on the most willing but the chosen one. Tucholke’s take is nuanced and special, and I am in love with her books. Get this one from Waterstones!

    Giles Kristian’s Lancelot approaches the Arthurian myth from the viewpoint of the eponymous Lancelot, warrior supreme. Following along from Lancelot’s childhood to his time with Arthur past his clash with the legendary king. More historical novel than fantasy, Lancelot nevertheless contains some elements of speculative fiction – anything else would be hard in Arthurian legend with characters like Merlin! It is well written and compelling, and makes the men behind the legends come to life. Very recently, Giles Kristian has published a sequel, Camelot, featuring Lancelot’s son Galahad as the first-person PoV. Order a copy of Lancelot via Hive.

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