Natasha Ngan’s Girls of Paper and Fire is really the OG sapphic YA fantasy. I feel like when it came out in 2018 it was one of the first books to lean into what is now an established sub-genre, especially considering the lead time needed in traditional publishing. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and its sequel, Girls of Storm and Shadow, when they first came out, and so I was super excited to read the last book in the trilogy. I do have to admit, when I first started Girls of Fate and Fury, I struggled to follow along – so I squeezed in a cheeky reread and read the whole trilogy over the past week. And I think I loved them even more this time around!

Massive thanks to Kate Keehan and Hodder for sending me an eARC of this via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

RELEASE DATE: 23/11/2021

STAR RATING: 5/5 ✶

SUMMARY: The final pages of Girls of Storm and Shadow brought a jaw-dropping conclusion that had the fates of Lei and Wren hanging in uncertainty. But one thing was certain – the Hidden Palace was the last place that Lei would ever consider home. The trauma and tragedy she suffered behind those opulent walls would plague her forever. She could not be trapped there with the sadistic king again, especially without Wren. The last Lei saw of the girl she loved, Wren was fighting an army of soldiers in a furious battle to the death. With the two girls torn apart and each in terrorizing peril, will they find each other again or have their destinies diverged forever? (from Hodder)

OPINIONS: I loved Girls of Fate and Fury. In fact, I loved re-reading the whole trilogy, but this conclusion to the series was the best book out of all of them. It took all of the themes and things I enjoyed, and went into them in more depth and detail. This still is the wonderful sapphic YA fantasy centred around Lei and Wren that readers have loved since the beginning, but this really dives into the themes of abuse and trauma. Not only are Lei and Wren dealing with their pasts and present, but many of the side characters actively show and experience the consequences of what happens to them, and their treatment at the hands of the king.

Natasha Ngan is a master at writing with compassion. The way she writes about trauma, abuse and disability never feels like it’s condescending or lecturing, but accepting. As someone with mental health issues, I really empathized with the wide range of responses the former Paper Girls had in the wake of Lei’s return – none of them considered lesser because they struggled. Another character became paralyzed, and after the first shock of everyone around them, the acceptance and love that emanated from the characters was wonderful. Not many authors manage to strike this balance and it is clear that this series is a true labour of love for Ngan.

And damn, the story. It’s fast-paced – faster than the previous two books – and extremely addictive. I really liked that this switched between Lei and Wren’s PoV for the first time, as they are apart for the first time in the trilogy. It really allowed both their stories to shine, and Ngan to explore the struggles they faced. And while, obviously they are the OTP and fated to be together, reading about them striving to reunite and longing for the other is so damn delicious. Combine that with revolution, overthrowing an evil king and friendships in all their iterations, and you have a fantastic conclusion to a great trilogy.

Add Girls of Fate and Fury to your Goodreads here, and pre-order a copy via Bookshop here (affiliate link).

The All-Consuming World by Cassandra Khaw is one of those books that coasts on vibes. And because one of the important locations of the story is a planet called Dimmuborgir, and it is an angry queer space opera, I can’t resist starting this review with a Dimmu Borgir song – I love that the band’s vibes fit the book’s vibes so well. So press play, and have the fitting soundtrack to get you into the right mood.

And we’re back with the second space opera of the week. The All-Consuming World is a very different kettle of fish to Far From the Light of Heaven, though, much less streamlined and linear, and far grittier and queer. I really enjoyed the reading experience of this one too but this one will be much more of a Marmite type book, dividing opinion as it is ultimately something very special. Massive thanks to Marty at Erewhon for sending me a review copy, all opinions are my own.

RELEASE DATE: 07/09/2021

STAR RATING: 4/5 ✶

SUMMARY: Maya has died and been resurrected into countless cyborg bodies through the years of a long, dangerous career with the infamous Dirty Dozen, the most storied crew of criminals in the galaxy, at least before their untimely and gruesome demise.

Decades later, she and her diverse team of broken, diminished outlaws must get back together to solve the mystery of their last, disastrous mission and to rescue a missing and much-changed comrade… but they’re not the only ones in pursuit of the secret at the heart of the planet Dimmuborgir. 

The highly evolved AI of the galaxy have their own agenda and will do whatever it takes to keep humanity from ever regaining control. As Maya and her comrades spiral closer to uncovering the AIs’ vast conspiracy, this band of violent women—half-clone and half-machine—must battle their own traumas and a universe of sapient ageships who want them dead, in order to settle their affairs once and for all. (from Erewhon)

OPINIONS: So this one is quite special. It’s really a Marmite book I think that is dividing opinions – I personally really enjoyed it, but I can see how this will definitely not work for everyone. Have a read of my thoughts and see if The All-Consuming World might be one for you. This book really lives off vibes more so than coherent storytelling. It is all about the characters and the world that they move in, and in that sense, it reminds me a bit of the brilliant Summer Sons by Lee Mandelo – which is an entirely different book, as it is a gothic dark academia novel, but it similarly focuses on vibes and atmosphere over plot.

Think of this as weird along the lines of Gideon the Ninth, edgy like Jay Kristoff (but less problematic) and fun like a very dark episode of Doctor Who with a dash of Becky Chambers. This isn’t a book for the faint of heart – there is surgery that happens while the character is awake, on the page, for example, so do heed the content warnings. The official ones are depictions of abusive relationships, mentioned character death, codependency, emotional manipulation, eye trauma, gaslighting, grief and surgery without anesthesia. It sounds like a long list of difficult topics, but it didn’t read like a heavy book to me – though that might be speaking from a position of privilege as my wounds are in very different places.

While The All-Consuming World is pitched as a heist book, it doesn’t feel like one. It’s mostly an angry queer book, set in space, where you get to know the characters, their stories and their problems. It doesn’t always feel like there is too much to the story, but ultimately I didn’t mind that. I cared about the characters, and I was emotionally invested, which is always the most crucial for me personally. I just loved being along for the ride with these characters and enjoyed my experience. It is a book that functions like a Black Metal album for me – escapism, forgetting the world and how shit it is by sinking into noise.

Add The All-Consuming World to your Goodreads here, and order a copy from Bookshop here (affiliate link).

A fun mixture of historical fantasy, mystery and romance, with lots of wit, entertaining characters and my favourite use of weaponized holly. Thanks to NetGalley for a review copy, all opinions are my own

RELEASE DATE: 02/11/21 (US) 09/12/2021 (UK)

STAR RATING: 4/5 ✶

SUMMARY: Robin Blyth has more than enough bother in his life. He’s struggling to be a good older brother, a responsible employer, and the harried baronet of a seat gutted by his late parents’ excesses. When an administrative mistake sees him named the civil service liaison to a hidden magical society, he discovers what’s been operating beneath the unextraordinary reality he’s always known.

Now Robin must contend with the beauty and danger of magic, an excruciating deadly curse, and the alarming visions of the future that come with it—not to mention Edwin Courcey, his cold and prickly counterpart in the magical bureaucracy, who clearly wishes Robin were anyone and anywhere else.

Robin’s predecessor has disappeared, and the mystery of what happened to him reveals unsettling truths about the very oldest stories they’ve been told about the land they live on and what binds it. Thrown together and facing unexpected dangers, Robin and Edwin discover a plot that threatens every magician in the British Isles—and a secret that more than one person has already died to keep.

OPINIONS: After an introductory chapter, the main story starts with Robin Blyth, an easy-going, charming non-magical person suddenly and without warning finding out about the existence of magic when he has been spitefully put into what his supervisor thinks is a dead-end, out of the way job deep within the Civil Service.  The highly prickly (although not without good reason) Edwin Courcey is his liaison and guide to the previously unknown world of magic.

The writing for this reveal is particularly effective. Whilst it grounds the rules and parameters of this world’s magic, it does it in a natural way without the dreaded info dump. The magic in this world is straightforward to understand- based largely on patterns and “cradling”  i.e winding string (or in this case energy) in shapes and lines to produce a result.  How magic is revealed to Robin is particularly effective at highlighting his character to a T. Instead of the expected horror or apprehension he’s charmed and a little bit delighted with what Edwin shows him. Edwin on the other hand, whose magic is significantly weaker than is expected in his otherwise magically powerful family gets to bask in Robin’s enjoyment and show off a little. This pattern of Robin appreciating Edwin for what he can do, and illuminating how spectacular it is when viewed in a different light to one his family uses is repeated again and again throughout the book – my favourite one is when Edwin has effectively recreated a magical version of the Dewy decimal system and brushes it off as not worth mentioning. He’s not being modest, it just doesn’t seem to him to compare to his family’s achievements or what was expected of him.

Although it’s set in a version of Edwardian England where queerness is still secret and undesirable, hiding their feelings both from each other and society as a whole is not a key part of this book. Both realise the other is interested in men fairly on in the book and in a low key, undramatic way. This gives the story time to question what it is that they both want from each other and how their characters play off each other. Whilst at its simplest it is the sunshine happy-go-lucky and the gloomy withdrawn misanthropist pairing both Robin and Edwin are more than that very simple definition. Although Robin is definitely the golden retriever he appears early on in the book, he’s a person who is at home in himself, unlike Edwin who is all sharp edges and elbows. Both have been strongly shaped by the expectations and abuse of their families albeit in very different ways  

The mystery side of this book is also strong. As Robin has been cursed by the same people looking for the mysterious object mentioned in the first chapter, he’s dragged through half of Southern England’s libraries looking for answers. As a book lover, the description of the library at Edwin’s family home is the thing of dreams and the maze Robin and Edwin end up trapped in is one of my favourite parts of the book where plants come to life and holly becomes a somewhat unnerving weapon. The book also sets itself up well for the remainder of the (presumed) trilogy without feeling like nothing is resolved.

All in all a fun blend of historical fantasy and romance with a mystery added for good measure. Perfect for fans of KJ Charles.

I saw the cover for Far From the Light of Heaven and I knew I needed to read this book, even though I’m not always a massive fan of science fiction. I started Rosewater by the same authors quite a while back, and it’s still on my pile of partially read books – I’m not sure why, but my mood-reader self didn’t quite click with it at the time. But I can say with confidence that even if Tade Thompson’s earlier work wasn’t for you, pick up Far From the Light of Heaven – it is a great story, addictive and thought-provoking (and I know quite a few people who feel similarly about this one!).

Many thanks to Nazia Khatun at Orbit for sending me an ARC of this excellent space opera. All opinions are my own as usual.

RELEASE DATE: 28/10/2021

STAR RATING: 4.5/5 ✶

SUMMARY: The colony ship Ragtime docks in the Lagos system, having traveled light-years to bring one thousand sleeping souls to a new home among the stars. But when first mate Michelle Campion rouses, she discovers some of the sleepers will never wake.

Answering Campion’s distress call, investigator Rasheed Fin is tasked with finding out who is responsible for these deaths. Soon a sinister mystery unfolds aboard the gigantic vessel, one that will have repercussions for the entire system—from the scheming politicians of Lagos station, to the colony planet Bloodroot, to other far-flung systems, and indeed to Earth itself. (from Orbit)

OPINIONS: Hi, you need this book. And coming from someone who doesn’t read too much space opera that means something. (though funnily enough, the next book I’m going to review is ALSO space opera) I really really enjoyed Far From the Light of Heaven. It is compulsively readable, and has that great quality of being accessible and commercial while still having deeper themes and making you think without hitting the reader over the head with its politics – a balance that Orbit’s editors have been managing to hit really well with their recent releases. I started reading this one a little while ago, and got distracted with life, and when I picked it up to just read a few chapters, it sucked me in and I blitzed through the last two-thirds of the book – that’s how compelling it is.

This is space opera, and a locked-room murder mystery, and a criticism of capitalism (there’s a UBER-rich guy who reads as a cross between Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk – obviously he ends up dead and is a dumbass) and so basically combines everything needed for a damn good story. Ultimately, the ending feels a bit rushed – I thought there was still a bit of story coming and was blindsided by the book being over (partially because the ARC came with some back matter that filled the last 20-30 pages) – but that feels like a minor quibble. And oh, Shell and Fin are such wonderful characters. I loved their interactions, their banter, and how they grow as the story unfolds. The way Ragtime’s AI is woven into the narrative is delightful too.

I thought that the way the bigger issues about space travel, capitalism and worker’s rights and conditions were woven into this story about deaths on a spaceship was really well done, in a way that did not feel like the author was forcing his readers to deal with them, while subtly making it clear that these were important factors driving both the story and our world. This really is one of the best space operas I have read, and one that I will be thinking about for a long time to come.

All in all, highly recommended. If you like your books fast-paced, smart and compelling, even if you’re not the biggest fan of science fiction or space opera usually. Add Far From the Light of Heaven to your Goodreads here, and order a copy via Bookshop here (affiliate link).