I get my recs for Fantasy Romance from a lot of places, and this particular book was rec’ed to me on r/RomanceBooks over a year ago as part of a request for well-written, adult Fantasy Romance books (not YA, not NA, no romantic subplots, etc.). It’s been sitting on my TBR since that time until I recently started the process of culling my TBR and searching for books that might fit my all Fantasy Romance r/fantasy Book Bingo card. I didn’t know anything about Emma Holly going into this book aside what I’d learned from some online book buddies – she is best known for Erotic Romance (Romance that is steamier than most, packing more explicit sex than your average Romance) as well as late 1990’s early 2000’s SFF Romances. So, I decided to give it a try.

I continue to marvel at the luck I have falling into books that seem to be made for me. This book screams Kat; it checks so many boxes for me, it’s almost scary. Look – I’m not going to say that what I like is close to being universal. This review is going to be more of a list of why this book works for me, and if you read it and you find that what works for me also works for you? Well, then I highly recommend reading The Demon’s Daughter by Emma Holly, because it was absolutely satisfying.

This review was originally written as part of a personal project to complete an all Fantasy Romance card for r/fantasy’s 2022 Book Bingo. You can read an introduction to my project here. All opinions are my own.

RELEASE DATE: 02/11/2004

STAR RATING: 5/5 ✶

I really enjoy the approach to world-building that fuses a quasi-historical settings with a completely different world. I’ve read this a couple of times, and this book solidified my love of this approach. The author took late Victorian era London and pieces of its history and plunked it down inside a secondary world and alternate history on another planet with a race of demons. She then deepens the immersion through the use of chapter epigraphs that are meant to be excerpts from various historical texts. The world-building was this amazingly creative fusion of ideas and histories, and I was totally diggin’ it.

The theming in this book draws on this world-building, focusing on both the human-demon interactions as well as the class structure within both races. Much of the conflict stems from racism between humans and demons, with both Adrian and Roxanne struggling given their unique ties to the demon race. Layer on top of that the classism that exists in both worlds, and you have a solid foundation for a plot rife with societal tension.

I loved Adrian and Roxanne, the main characters in this book; I felt very connected to them and wanted them to find happiness both for themselves and with each other. Like most modern Romance books, this book is dual-POV, and the development of each character is rich and engaging. I will admit that my preferences tend to older protagonists given my age and the point I am in in my life, and so it was a pleasant surprise to find that the MMC is in his early 40’s and the FMC around 30.

Adrian is not Alpha in any way, but an emotionally-connected man deseparate to find love after a failed marriage and a lonely life dedicated to his job as a Inspector (this book gives off a strong detective noir vibe). He wants the type of family he grew up with, and we get to see a glimpse of what that looks like when he visits his parents. His parents wanted a better life for him than they had, and his drive, the choices he makes with his first marriage, and his decision to take the demon implants all stem from these familial drives. The themes of race and class dynamics and family all tied together nicely to form Adrian’s character arc.

But the same is true for Roxanne. She is alone in this world, never knowing her father and losing her mother at a young age, but she creates a family for herself adopting two children and shapes a life around her art that is uniquely her own. This book has a tremendous message of women’s independence – Roxanne is a force to be reckoned with in an era where a woman’s worth was associated with her husband and her family. She stands apart, making her own living with her art and conducting her day-to-day life in the manner that suits her regardless of societal expectations.

By the end of the book, I realized that The Demon’s Daughter is very much a book about family. It’s a theme that is revisited and explored throughout the story, from Roxanne’s adopted children, to Adrian’s massive family, to the difficult relationship Roxanne has with both of her parents, and finally the formation of a family of their own.

The Demon’s Daughter is a deeply sensual book, and I didn’t realize how much I’d been craving that. Yes, this book does get steamy – Emma Holly is known for her Erotic Romance – but what stood out for me was the intense sensuality of the couple for much of the first half of the book in the form of simple touching, caresses, and foot massages, as an example. That being said, this book does pack a lot of steam, so if you like your explicit sex scenes on the thinner side, this might be a bit much for you.

Finally, the prose. I found this book extremely well-written. It didn’t feel basic, nor was it overwrought. Instead, is struck the perfect balance for me, reflecting the tone the author wanted to deliver with nary a hiccup.

I highly recommend this book. I adored it. I’m not sure if I will read the other two full-length entries in this series – I felt complete at the end of this book – but I am so pleasantly surprised and happy to have read The Demon’s Daughter.

What do you get when you take the quirky humor, witty banter, and absurd plot elements of a book like Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and set it against a backdrop of late-Victorian England instead of the galaxy, replace spaceships with flying houses, and make your main characters pirates and witches instead of robots and aliens? Well, friends, you get the The League of Gentlewomen Witches, the second book in the Dangerous Damsels series by India Holton, a highly entertaining and romantic romp that will leave you wondering “What did I just read?” while at the same time exclaiming “How utterly delightful!” I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

RELEASE DATE: 15/03/2022

STAR RATING: 4/5 ✶

SUMMARY:

Miss Charlotte Pettifer belongs to a secret league of women skilled in the subtle arts. That is to say—although it must never be said—witchcraft. The League of Gentlewomen Witches strives to improve the world in small ways. Using magic, they tidy, correct, and manipulate according to their notions of what is proper, entirely unlike those reprobates in the Wisteria Society.

When the long lost amulet of Black Beryl is discovered, it is up to Charlotte, as the future leader of the League, to make sure the powerful talisman does not fall into the wrong hands. Therefore, it is most unfortunate when she crosses paths with Alex O’Riley, a pirate who is no Mr. Darcy. With all the world scrambling after the amulet, Alex and Charlotte join forces to steal it together. If only they could keep their pickpocketing hands to themselves! If Alex’s not careful, he might just steal something else—such as Charlotte’s heart.

OPINIONS:

Having not read the first book in this series, The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels, I had no idea what to expect from this book. I was intrigued by the cover and the blurb, and having been told I didn’t need to read the first book to enjoy the second, I decided to jump in. I’ll admit, at first I was completely unsure of what exactly I was reading. The first time, for example, I encountered text with a strikethrough I was baffled, only to later realize it was not only purposeful, but also quite a novel and effective way to deliver a joke! And what about our FMC Charlotte’s references to the propriety of Jane Austen’s heroines while stealing a briefcase and inciting violence in a teashop? Or the image of a prim lady of the Wicken League carrying around a stuffed poodle? Was I supposed to take these things seriously? The answer, of course, was no – The League of Gentlewomen Witches is very much a purposefully whimsical satire that takes the reader on a fantastical adventure filled with pirates, witches, meddling aunts, burgeoning friendships, steamy romance, and plenty of tea.

The romance between the witch Charlotte and pirate (and therefore mortal enemy) Alex, was surprisingly satisfying. At first, I wondered if this book would deliver a full, A-plot Romance given its whimsical, quirky nature, and did it ever! Charlotte and Alex’s story is a true enemies-to-lovers tale. Witches and pirates are pitted against one another in age-old historical feud. And to make matters worse, Charlotte has been predestined to lead the Wicken League with exacting manners and uphold their feud with the improper pirates, while Alex hates witches after being horribly abused by one as a child. But throughout the course of the book, Charlotte and Alex grow together to overcome the limiting strictures of Charlotte’s upbringing and heal the terrible wounds of abuse that have turned Alex away from friendship and love. I was happy to see their character backstories explored and their relationship develop in deeply meaningful ways. I wasn’t sure it could be pulled off given the tonal context, but Holton did a superb job at delivering a truly satisfying and fleshed out Romance amid the chaotic adventure that is this book!

A word about steam – these are two thirsty protagonists! Both Charlotte and Alex’s gazing and the internal monologues they have about each other build a definite and palpable sexual tension, but, like other aspects of this book, it is done with wit and humor. When our couple finally comes together in a hilarious spin on the “only one bed” trope it is unexpectedly and deliciously steamy without being overly explicit – this book did a great job of threading that needle!

The League of Gentlewomen Witches is laugh-out-loud funny. The prose is easy to read while at the same time utilizing Regency and Victorian language reminiscent of Jane Austen. In fact, the book pays homage to Austen and Shakespeare, and fans of both will be pleased at Holton’s treatment of their favorite authors. I’d recommend it as a slump-buster or to anyone who loves Fantasy Romance and is looking to lighten their mood. I will most likely read the first installment of the series at some point as well as the third book, which is definitely coming given the Epilogue, but I will wait for the right time to do so, i.e. when I’m in need of a good laugh and a warm heart.

Just a few months ago, I had the pleasure of reading and reviewing Star Mother, the first book in the Star Mother duology by Charlie N. Holmberg. Folks that read my review will remember that I was looking forward to the sequel, itching for the conclusion to a story that felt a touch incomplete without a satisfying ending for Saiyon’s character. I was surprised and pleased with how quickly Star Father was released, right on the heels of Star Mother, but unfortunately it was not the sequel I was hoping for. It’s difficult not to compare this book to its predecessor, as they really are meant to be read as a pair, and you’ll see that reflected in this review – it looks at how this book fares as both a continuation, and ultimately the conclusion, of the Star Mother duology. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

RELEASE DATE: 08/03/2022

STAR RATING: 3/5 ✶

SUMMARY:

In a heavenly war, the moon is prevailing…

It happens in an instant, filling Aija with dread: the Sun is suddenly cast from the sky, throwing the Earth into midday darkness. On the fourth day of endless night, Aija finds an unconscious man by the river. His skin is as hot as her lantern’s glass and just as golden. To Aija, a farmhand with the soul of an artist, this beautiful stranger is an inspiration—and a mystery. He calls himself Saiyon. He bleeds light. His friends are celestial. His enemies, godlings of the moon.

Between Aija and Saiyon, attraction grows warmer. For Aija, an unfathomable revelation: she’s falling in love with the earthbound Sun God. When Saiyon’s faltering powers are restored to full glory, what then? There’s a way Aija can become immortal, too. Saiyon can’t support such a risk.

Aija chooses to follow her heart to places darker and more dangerous than she realizes. Whatever sacrifices lie ahead, they’re the only way to make an impossible true love last forever.

OPINIONS:

The aspect of Star Mother that stood out to me was its theming. A personal journey of devotion, self-sacrifice, love, and motherhood formed the backbone of the first installment of this duology. The Romance was not an afterthought, but a carefully woven aspect of the story that served to amplify the themes while never presenting itself as the “main attraction.”

So, when I started Star Father, I was expecting something of the same. I knew that this book would be the conclusion to Saiyon’s story, giving him the HEA he needed for the story in Star Mother to feel complete, but I assumed it would be presented against the backdrop of the same type of deep and meaningful theming that grabbed me in that book. Unfortunately, that was not the case. The Romance is the main focus of Star Father; Aija and Saiyon falling in love followed by Aija’s quest to become immortal so that she can be with Saiyon is the focus of the plot and the characters’ motivations.

Those of you that know me are probably reading this and raising a brow: Does Romance-loving Kat actually think that is a bad thing? Has hell frozen over? Rest assured friends, I’m fine. Allow me to explain…

If you are going to make a book Romance-forward, i.e. the Romance is the plot of the book and there are no other plot elements through which to develop themes, you have to develop your characters deeply and meaningfully such that your themes are tied to the characters’ arcs and the romantic relationship must be transformative. That did not happen here. There was no growth in either Aija or Saiyon – their characters, dare I say it, were quite shallow and their relationship fell largely flat. I had a frisson of hope that Aija’s character would gain depth and grow through her art, especially given the plot point that involved creating a likeness of Moon, but alas that thread turned out to be perfunctory. And Saiyon, who’s struggle as a God beholden to the universe’s laws and for whom this book was ostensibly written, received very little page time and even less exploration into his history, motivations, or desires.

In short, I struggled to find any substantial themes in Star Father beyond Aija and Saiyon falling in love and finding a way to be together. Had the romance been rooted in something deeper, e.g. a personal realization or the resolution of some internal struggle, perhaps this book would have worked for me, but much to my chagrin, it didn’t.

I have the same small quibbles with this book as I did with the previous, finding the writing a touch overwroght at times, using metaphors that weren’t grounded in the story or the characters. Once again, the ending was a bit rushed given the amount of time Aija spent questing for immortality; much like the characters themselves, their HEA needed more attention and depth.

I’m glad I read this book, as I needed the conclusion to Saiyon’s story to feel complete, but I will admit that it wasn’t as satisfying as I had hoped. I will continue to recommend Star Mother, but with the caveat that I wouldn’t recommend Star Father and that it may leave you wanting.

Over the past year, I had the pleasure of returning to Osten Ard with two novellas that book-end the original Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series: The Heart of What Was Lost and Brothers of the Wind. Once again I am astounded by the greatness that is Tad Williams. I know, I know, I’m a total fangirl, but I can’t help but argue it’s with good reason! For fans of Tad Williams, getting the opportunity to return to the rich and sprawling world that is Osten Ard with a targetted, short-format purpose that nonetheless delivers his style of prose, world-building, and characterization (twice!) is beyond satisfying to say the least. For me, it’s like wrapping myself in a warm blanket and drinking a cup of tea – pure comfort through the written word. Although these novellas vary significantly in terms of their themes and objectives, they are both quintessentially Tad Williams and fit perfectly into and expand upon the experience of Osten Ard. All opinions are my own.

Publication Date: January 3, 2017

Rating: 5/5 ✶

Summary: The Heart of What Was Lost takes place in the half-year after the end of To Green Angel Tower, and tells of the attempt by Isgrimnur and a force largely made up of Rimmersgard soldiers to destroy the remaining Norns as they flee back to their homeland and their mountain. It also answers some questions about what actually happened in the immediate aftermath of the fall of Green Angel Tower.

Publication Date: November 2, 2021

Rating: 4/5 ✶

Summary: Set a thousand years before the events of Williams’s The Dragonbone Chair, Brothers of the Wind tells the tale of Ineluki’s tragic boast to destroy the deadly dragon Hidohebhi and what it brings from the POV of Pamon Kes, Hakatri’s faithful servant. Kes is not one of the Sithi but a member of the enslaved Changeling race, and his loyalty has never before been tested. Now he must face the terrible black dragon at his master’s side, then see his own life changed forever in a mere instant by Ineluki’s rash, selfish promise.

The plot of The Heart of What Was Lost focuses on Duke Isgrimmnur’s pursual of the retreating Norns and epic siege of their home Nikkiga (siege fans – this book is for you!) after the human and Sithi victory at Asu’a. The plot forms the basis for not only delivering page-turning action and world-building, but also two main themes: the tendency the de-humanize an enemy in war, in this case the Norns, and a reminder that the atrocities and brutalities of war exist on a personal level and represent its true cost.

Williams’s use of multiple POVs is strategic and perfectly executed to support the book’s themes. First, he presents part of the story through the contrasting viewpoints of Duke Isgrimmnur, who leads the charge on Nikiiga, and Viyeki, a noble-born Norn working to protect his race from being exterminated at the hand of the human invaders. After witnessing the atrocities of the Norns throughout Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, this fascinating juxtaposition in POVs requires an empathy from the reader that is unexpected and yet very real. The Norns are a noble people in their own right, simply fighting for their existence. Experiencing their way of life within their home “humanized” the Norns and further deepened the world-building of Osten Ard in a way that changes your view on the war.

Williams pulls on your hearstrings in an entirely different manner with a third POV, that of Porto, a mercenary conscribed to help finish the war in the North. The care-abouts of an average soldier and his young comrade-in-arms, e.g. wanting to return home to family, questioning why they are there, hunger and cold, provide a stark contrast to the “noble endeavor” of eliminating the last vestiges of their land’s mortal enemies. Here the reader is reminded of the brutal realities of war, and for me, the reminder was poignant.

Finally, and as always, Williams is adept at weaving the stories of these myriad characters in such a way that the ending is both powerfully unexpected and thoroughly satisfying; all loose ends are tied.

Brothers of the Wind tackles entirely different themes using the single POV of Pamon Kes, Prince Hakatri of the Sithi’s armiger servant of the enslaved Changeling race. The book is split into two main quests, the first of which is to slay the dragon Hidohebhi, and the second to find a cure for the pain and madness plaguing Hakatri who has been burned by Hidohebhi’s magical blood. Aside: It was a delight to visit all my favorite locations in Osten Ard during Hakatri’s quest for a cure – the Wran, Sesuad’ra, Aldheorte, to name a few. It was like a mini-recap of Simon’s journey through Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Again, in true Williams fashion, the plot serves the themes, which are twofold and strikingly disparate. First, he explores the slippery slope that is unchecked hubris and anger. Readers are finally presented with the backstory of Prince Ineluki’s seduction by the Norn queen. She manipulates Ineluki’s anger with himself and his love for his brother into hatred for the humans, thereby providing him an outlet for his tumultuous emotions and ultimately gaining his allegiance. At the same time, Williams tells this entire story through the POV of Hakatri’s devoted servant. The reader is not only given a deeper understanding of the Changeling race, but also the sacrifces Pamon has made with respect to his identity – both through his own choice and unintentionally through racism and social constructs – because of his blind devotion to his master Hakatri. The noble Sithi are not without fault, and once again the world-building of Osten Ard is deepened through the exploration of this unsettling relationship between the Sithi, Norn, and Changeling races.

There is a heart-warming end for Pamon Kes; he is released of his servitude to live his own life and learn the history of his people. But, surprisingly, the reader does not learn the ultimate fate of Hakatri. Does he ever find his relief across the sea? Who was the mysterious woman in his visions, and what was the choice she foretold he might make? How will this affect Osten Ard? Williams has left the door open for these questions to be answered in the final two installments of The Last King of Osten Ard, but the conclusion of the story did not suffer because of it.

It was a pleasure to return to the world of Osten Ard and several of its characters in these two novellas. The stage is set for the follow-on series, The Last King of Osten Ard. Although you don’t have to read Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn to enjoy either of these short books and get a feel for Williams’s manner of writing, the context is key to experiencing the full impact of their objectives. Highest of recommendations!

So often we see recommendations based on certain keywords or subgenre classifications, and it’s easy to fall into the trap of reducing recommendations to this basic approach. Using such an approach, two books might appear to be excellent recommendations for a single request; however, the art of the successful recommendation is far more nuanced.

We’ve all seen something like this before: “Recommended to those who like the Fae, Romance, and Regency- or Victorian-era language and settings.” In fact, this exact description could be used for two books I’ve recently read and are currently quite popular in Speculative Fiction circles, namely Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater and The Lord of Stariel by A.J. Lancaster. Based on that description alone someone might recommend both of these books to a single request, and they will have varying degrees of success, because these two books are in fact quite different. So, I present to you A Tale of Two Faerie Tales, short reviews of two books that – on paper – should appeal to the same reader and fulfill similar recommendation requests, but differ significantly in their tone, themes, and purpose.

Publication Date: March 29, 2020

Rating: 3/5 ✶

Kat’s Summary: As a child, half of Dora’s soul was stolen by an evil lord of Faerie. Now, a young woman who has debuted in Regency-era England, Dora finds herself searching for her place in society, never really fitting in, because she’s missing some part of herself. When her family travels to London to find a husband for her cousin, she meets the ill-mannered Lord Sorcier, who has vowed to help her try and mend her soul purely because it’s a challenging problem to solve. Their plans are derailed by a magical plague putting children into an unwakable sleep as well as the dealing with the travesties of London workhouses. Dora and Elias must work together to discover the source of the plague and save the sick children before it’s too late. And as they do, will they be able to deny the feelings that are unexpectedly developing between them?

Publication Date: November 1, 2018

Rating: 3/5 ✶

Kat’s Summary: Hetta is the unconventional daughter of Lord Stariel working as an illusionist in a theater. She must return to her estranged family’s estate after learning her father has passed away to take part in the Choosing ceremony in which the sentient land of Stariel will pick its next Lord. After being unexpectedly chosen, she must work within her small band of friends – her brother Marius, her cousin Jack, and her mysterious friend (and newly discovered love interest) Wyn – to understand the land’s magic, the arrival of unexpected Fae guests, and uncover the motivation behind a plot to seat her as the Lord regardless of the Choosing Stone’s intent. Can they uncover who is behind all the machinations in Stariel and restore order before any more dangerous Fae incursions put their land and family at risk?

I’ll start with how these books are similar, namely their prose and language. Half a Soul is set in Regency-era England; the existence of magic and Faerie is simply overlaid atop this historic setting. The Lord of Stariel, on the other hand, is set in a secondary world reminiscent of late-Victorian England. Despite these inconsequential setting differences, both books have beautiful, soothing prose, and more importantly the language used fits their quasi-historical settings. It evokes the atmosphere you’d expect from a fantasy-of-manners and helps amplify the desired, historic English atmosphere.

To me, the prose and language is the strongest similarity between the two books; in fact, the remaining similarities fall under the vein of : They both…, but…

First, there is a noticeable difference in tone. Half a Soul is a very much a classic fairytale, complete with the requisite character tropes – the evil stepmother (Auntie Frances), prince charming (Lord Sorcier), etc. – and carries a tone that matches what you’d expect from a fairytale. Words I’d use to describe the tone are sweet, whimsical, emotional. Atwater creates this quality through both the characters and the setting. Dora is young and innocent, and Lord Stariel hardened and melodramatic. They are established as emotional opposites, Dora having lost the capacity to truly feel, and Elias deeply affected by his conscience and feelings. The author leans into this contrast, and the emotional drama that ensues contributes to the fairytale atmosphere. The journey into Faerie amplifies this further by presenting an absurd and exaggerated version of Regency-era society and mores in a manner reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland.

In contrast, The Lord of Stariel presents the reader with a less frantically emotional approach that is far more akin to “slice-of-life” story-telling. Despite being a “faerie tale,” the tone is measured and subdued, resulting from both mature characters and the author’s presentation. Hetta is an established adult with her own job, home, and independence. She is experienced in both life and relationships. She is an unconventional woman in conventional society, and yet still adheres to the expectations of her family and propriety. Her manner, coupled with a plot that is largely interspersed with the mundane – meals, gatherings, outings, and meetings about the estate – delivers a feel that is more commensurate with a fantasy-of-manners than a traditional fairytale. And although the Fae are present, most notably in Wyn, the events seem more realistic as they are not described in an over-the-top manner, the revelations and interactions handled as if they were “normal” life events.

Second, both books contain romantic elements, but to unmistakably different degrees. Half a Soul is most definitely a Fantasy Romance and it is clear from the start that Dora and Elias are developing an unexpected and deep connection to one another. Their relationship evolves slowly over the course of the book, and the appropriate amount of time is spent developing both of the characters as well as their relationship such that the reader is invested in their success as a couple and the book can deliver a satisfying HEA. Dora and Elias have meaningful character arcs that are tied to their emotional states and their world views. Their attraction to one another is borne out of those arcs, based not in lust but shared experience and respect, creating a truly powerful romantic connection. (The scene where Elias attends the ball to dance with Dora under magically sparkling lights was perfectly romantic!)

The romance in The Lord of Stariel falls squarely into the category of romantic subplot at best. It’s likely (based on chats with those that have read the entire series) that this book provides the set up necessary for a more fleshed-out romantic subplot later on. But if someone is looking for a strong romantic subplot, I probably wouldn’t recommend this book. It’s a bit thin for my taste, even if I did find their eventual coming-together a highlight of the ending. One of the reasons the romantic subplot was so thin, was that unlike Half a Soul, Hetta and Wyn’s character arcs were not fully fleshed out in service of the romance, much of their attraction portrayed as lust. It was disappointing that Hetta did not explicitly choose to stay in Stariel. Giving this decision more emotional treatment and tying it to Wyn, even in the slightest, would have given Hetta more agency and made the romantic subplot far more compelling.

And finally, there is theming, or objective. Half a Soul, in true fairytale fashion, is not shy in delivering its message: virtue is not found in material wealth or in being a part of the aristocracy. By the end of the book, after tours through the horrific conditions of the workhouses and the journey to Faerie that mirrors Regency-era mores in an exaggerated manner, the reader can’t help but “get the message.” I would go so far as to say that the messaging could have been tempered a bit and still delivered its point! But that’s the purpose of many traditional fairytales, isn’t it? And so it worked within the context of the book’s tone and objective.

The Lord of Stariel is subtle in its purpose and messaging. Here, the reader is presented with themes that are less heavy than the single, overarching moral that drives its counterpart. In fact, the book is light on themes, the strongest of which centers around returning to your roots, strengthened by the use of the Stariel family’s connection to the sentient land as a metaphor, and devotion to family. The purpose of this book is not to deliver a message, but to present the reader with a world and cast of characters that they will ostensibly follow throughout the series as it delivers adventures of the reunited family with its new world understanding.

I would happily recommend both of these Faerie Tales. I found them equally delightful, but in markedly different ways. And while they appear to fit within the same proverbial box, for the reasons I’ve outlined above, you’ll likely not see me recommending both of these books to the same request. Half a Soul and The Lord of Stariel scratch decidedly different itches, and attention to what a reader is looking for will pay dividends against the success of recommending one or both of these books. Happy reading.

I’m seriously conflicted about this book. It felt like an emotional rollercoaster, where one moment I’m swooning from a heart-wrenching romantic scene, and the next moment I’m wincing from a graphic description of horrific abuse. What do I know for sure? That Little Fire is an adult, High Fantasy Romance novel with impressive world-building and a compelling romance. What am I not so sure about? How this book will land for others, or frankly, how it landed for me. I struggled with some of the triggering content and found the plot evolution, especially the end, disjoint and jarring. This review will simply outline my experience; it’s up to you to decide if this might be for you. Please note that this review contains references to content that may be triggering for some readers, most notably rape, child abuse, and human trafficking. All opinions are my own.

RELEASE DATE: 23/10/2021

STAR RATING: 3/5 ✶

SUMMARY:

Declan can kill with a blink of his eye. Jaded and cold, he rules his kingdom the same way he does his heart—with merciless pragmatism. So why does he risk all to protect a little mortal during a slave-trade uprising? Now stuck in the Shadow Realm, the loss of his powers are the least of his troubles. The woman may have a frustratingly tender heart, but she has enough fire in her soul to thaw the ice in his veins.

He could take her by right, but he wants more than acceptance. He wants her willing surrender…

Evangeline is chained by a past she can’t remember. Her fractured memories keep her shy and single. When she is thrust into a demon realm in the arms of an indomitable archmage, he becomes her only chance of survival. But soon, she realizes her unnerving protector may not be as callous as he appears, and her heart may be as much at risk as her life.

His desire for her is no secret, but she wants more than scalding lust. She wants his icy heart…

Can they survive the Shadow Realm long enough to break down each other’s walls?

OPINIONS:

There were two stand-out elements of this book: the world-building and the romance. The world consists of five realms each ruled and shaped by a different god and filled with fantastical beings and magic specific to that realm, and travel between the realms can only be accomplished through portals opened by the Fae. The realm in which our story begins is the home of the humans and mages, human-like beings with elemental and psychic powers, the most powerful of which are the archmages that rule with an iron fist.

The concept of the realms is introduced right off the bat with a poem, which I thought was a clever way of laying the groundwork for the world-building. Details of the world and magic were slowly introduced over the course of the book without info-dumping, which I appreciated. With the detailed descriptions of monsters and the abilities of the mages, it walks the line between soft and hard magic – in fact, I think it wants to have a harder magic system than it actually does – and this is not necessarily a bad thing. I sometimes like a harder magic system. But the problem was that it felt secondary despite being so well fleshed out. There was so much emphasis on the trauma and slavery (more on that later) that the detailed world-building felt tacked on, almost as if it was a separate entity within the story. The culmination of the plot takes place when the FMC and MMC are thrust into the realm of the Unseelie for the final battle, and suddenly – jarringly, in fact – that world-building comes to the forefront of the plot. It felt disjoint, and I found myself wishing for greater continuity.

I really enjoyed the romance between Declan and Evangeline. It developed slowly and organically, stemming from a tenderness between the two characters (as opposed to lust) as they care for one another during their exile in the demon realm. He is respectful of her trauma, never pushing himself on her, and genuinely just wants to be in her presence. They don’t become intimate until she asks for them to be, and the respsect and consent is incredibly sexy, especially given the context of both of their past struggles. The archmage is incredibly powerful, yet tempers his authoritarian ways to properly “court” Evangeline (the flower scene turned me to mush!) realizing that what he really wants is her willing participation. The relationship reveal at the end was a bit contrived and, I’ll admit, predictable, but nevertheless satisfying and filled with genuine emotion.

Now for the difficult part. This book is heavy into rape trauma, child abuse, and human trafficking. A large portion of this book revolves around dealing with the aftermath of rape (both from the perspective of the survivor and a resulting child) and physical abuse of children. Central to the plot is the trafficking of humans to be sold as slaves by the Unseelie to other realms and the sexual and physical abuses done to those slaves by members of the cartel and their owners. If these themes are triggering, or if you don’t have a stomach for explicit content describing such atrocities, this book probably isn’t for you.

Declan and Evangeline spend significant page-time coming to terms with their own trauma, dismantling the human trafficking cartel, and tending to the abused victims that they save. Their emotional scars – as well as the physical and emotional scars of the victims they save – are present, deep, and not glossed over. All that to say, these difficult themes are not employed gratuitously, but tackled head-on and given careful treatment throughout the book.

The writing was solid, and in some places I found it quite pleasurable, but there were times I found the language and word choice a bit forced. An inconsequential quibble in the grand scheme of things.

Will I read on in this series? Honestly? The jury is still out…

This book is beautiful. I know, I know – what a generic word – such a trite description. But, honestly? When I finished this book, and when I reflect on its themes, its tone, and the impressions it left upon me as a reader, its the word I keep coming back to. Star Mother is truly and simply a beautiful book. It is a compelling piece of feminist fiction on par with Circe by Madeline Miller both in terms of style and message, deeply exploring themes of love, motherhood, and devotion amid world-building that develops and reveals itself through an enigmatic plot. Highly recommend. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

RELEASE DATE: 01/11/2021

STAR RATING: 4/5 ✶

SUMMARY:

When a star dies, a new one must be born.

The Sun God chooses the village of Endwever to provide a mortal womb. The birthing of a star is always fatal for the mother, and Ceris Wenden, who considers herself an outsider, sacrifices herself to secure her family’s honor and take control of her legacy. But after her star child is born, Ceris does what no other star mother has: she survives. When Ceris returns to Endwever, however, it’s not nine months later—it’s seven hundred years later. Inexplicably displaced in time, Ceris is determined to seek out her descendants.

Being a woman traveling alone brings its own challenges, until Ceris encounters a mysterious—and desperate—godling. Ristriel is incorporeal, a fugitive, a trickster, and the only being who can guide Ceris safely to her destination. Now, as Ceris traverses realms both mortal and beyond, her journey truly begins.

Together, pursued across the Earth and trespassing the heavens, Ceris and Ristriel are on a path to illuminate the mysteries that bind them and discover the secrets of the celestial world. 

OPINIONS:

Star Mother is a book about devotion; Ceris Wenden’s is a journey of continual self-sacrifice due to her unflappable devotion to self, community, and search for true love. This book asks the question: what are you willing to endure for integrity? And the example of endurance provided by the main character is quite powerful.

Ceris is devoted to herself, unwilling to compromise her personality or her desires, and yearning to be appreciated for living her life authentically. She is devoted to her community, sacrificing her body and future to the Sun in order to preserve her town and the true love that exists between her betrothed and his lover. She is devoted to her family, desperate to fulfill her role as a mother and fighting for a connection with her star as well as her family’s descendents, even after losing 700 years. And once she unexpectedly discovers true love in Ristriel, she is willing to endure whatever it takes, including 350 years of separation, to finally experience a life filled with the unconditional love and acceptance she’s searched for her entire life.

These themes of devotion and self-sacrifice, and the exploration of true love in all its forms, are set against a backdrop of well-executed, Fantasy world-building and plot. Holmberg has crafted a creative and unique world in which celestial objects are in fact deities that wield immeasurable power, and yet are still bound to the laws of the universe, providing rich fodder for moral dilemmas. The mystery behind the war between the Sun and the Moon as well as the impact of the war on both Ceris and the people of Mother Earth drives a plot that, while deliberate in its build-up, is well-paced once the foundation has been laid.

There were times I found the writing a tad overwrought and repetitive, but overall I felt that the prose helped deliver a tone that meshed well with the themes and enhanced their poignancy. For Romance readers, there is a love triangle, which did strain the HEA, but I would still solidly classify this as Fantasy-Romance. The HEA was also bit rushed for my taste, especially since it was so hard won; I would have liked to see a more developed and fleshed out ending, but it was satisfying nonetheless. These are but minor quibbles in a book that was well executed and quite beautiful.

I was delighted to see that there will be a sequel to Star Mother, especially after reading the synopsis. I think this second book will be a perfect conclusion to this tale and provide additional satisfaction to the HEA. I am genuinely looking forward to reading it!

There’s something to be said about a book that truly surprises its readers with an unexpected message. Dark Wizard by Jeffe Kennedy certainly falls into that category. I went into this book assuming classic Fantasy-Romance content, and while the book certainly delivered on genre expectations, it genuinely surprised me with how it tied romance into its unique world-building and magic system and used it as a social commentary on slavery and self-worth. Thought-provoking and sometimes necessarily uncomfortable in its message, Dark Wizard is the first book in Kennedy’s Bonds of Magic series. All opinions are my own.

RELEASE DATE: 25/02/2021

STAR RATING: 4/5 ✶

SUMMARY:

Lord Gabriel Phel wants one thing: to restore his shattered House to its former station in the Convocation’s complex and arcane society. Fortunately, through a wild chance of birth, he was born with the magic of a powerful wizard, the first in his family in generations. If he can obtain a familiar to supplement his skills, ideally one who is a highborn daughter who can also be his lady wife, then he’ll be that much closer to restoring House Phel. And to exacting his ultimate revenge on the Convocation that destroyed his family.

Lady Veronica Elal doesn’t have many choices. To her bitter disappointment, she will never be the powerful wizard she and her father hoped she’d be. Instead Nic is doomed to be a familiar like her mother, a second-class citizen in the Convocation, and one destined to be bonded to a wizard, serving his purposes for the rest of her life. Her one hope lies in entering the Betrothal Trials—and choosing a wizard from the Convocation candidates that she can manipulate. Whichever one of her suitors impregnates her will claim her as familiar and wife, and she can use her wiles to rule her wizard master, and the House she marries into.

But Gabriel throws a wrench into Nic’s careful scheming, by seducing and fascinating her. When she finds she’s pregnant by the rogue wizard she can never hope to control, Nic does the unthinkable: she runs.

OPINIONS:

At its core, Dark Wizard delivers a powerful message about slavery, self-worth, and how our world view and possibilies for self are shaped through the lens of our upbringing and societal expectations. Kennedy’s world-building focuses on a magic system and a social structure that has developed around that system. In this world, magic is the purview of wizards – they alone can wield magic and they do so under the contracts of their particular house and the laws of the Convocation. But magic is also held by familiars, and this is where the conflict arises and the world-building gets interesting. Familiars can hold as much magic as a Wizard, but they can’t use it – their magic must be channeled for use by a wizard – creating an unbalanced power dynamic in which a familiar is magically bound in servitude to a wizard, their entire lives relegated to providing a fountain of magic for their wizard to pull from, having no agency to change their fate or shape a purpose of their own.

At first, I was taken aback and (honestly) a bit disgusted by the brutal concept of the Betrothal Trials. When a familiar is ready to be bonded to a wizard, they are paired each month with a new candidate to determine the couple’s “productivity” (so-to-speak) – they bed each other to find out if they can get pregnant, thereby ensuring a magical bloodline. If the pair gets pregnant that month, they are bonded, and the familiar enters a life of servitude to the wizard. If not, they are repaired, and the process continues until pregnancy occurs. Like I said, brutal. But once I got deeper into the book, I understood the Betrothal Trials to be part of the larger, complex world-building that really is an allegory for slavery and a construction necessary for delivering important messages about slavery and self-worth. I should point out that these pairings are not based on gender – the wizard-familiar bond can happen between any combination of genders, and I really love that Kennedy took gender out of this discussion all together.

The Romance plot of this book is interwoven with what I believe will be the ongoing series arc – dismantling the caste system enforced by the Convocation. Gabriel summarily rejects the ideals and strictures set up around the power dynamic betwen familiars and wizards, because his upbringing was not shaped by the Convocation. He doesn’t base his self-worth, or that of others, on magical potential. He wants to bond and marry Nic out of love and trust. Unfortunately, Nic’s upbringing was vastly different, and her entire life and world view has been shaped by the Convocation. She struggles with a relationship based in true love and trust, the very concepts to her impossible given the power dynamic and expectations of the wizard-fimilar bond. Can they ever be sure that they’ve truly won each other’s hearts, or are they merely compelled to each other by their stations? The contrast between Gabriel and Nic’s world views – the potential for new, versus the confines of the old – and the ideals that have been ingrained in them since birth form the basis of a fascinating relationship that has so much potential for both evolution and growth.

Another clever aspect of Gabriel and Nic’s relationship that stems from their upbringings revolves around Gabriel’s use of magic. Because he is new to the world of magic and wasn’t formally trained by the Convocation, he often forgets he’s an incredibly powerful Wizard, reaching for his sword instead of using magic. Nic was the top of her class at the academy, and even though she cannot use magic herself and is supposed to be “less than” a wizard, she has all the training and knowledge Gabriel needs to understand and use his skills, adding depth and nuance to this unbalanced power dynamic central to the book’s plot and themes.

For the Romance readers out there, this series does follow the same couple, and there are open questions at the end of the first book. There is significant room for an interesting evolution in both the relationship between Gabriel and Nic as well as their relationship to the Convocation, which makes the lack of a tidy HEA understadable and necessary. I’m looking forward to reading on in the series and seeing how this all unfolds!

There are so many things I liked about Absynthe by Brendan Bellecourt (a.k.a. Bradley Beaulieu writing under a pseudonym for his first foray into Science Fiction) that when I sat down to write this, I struggled to organize my thoughts into a coherent review. I had this overwhelming urge to gush and simply list all the disparate pieces of this book that resonated with me. But upon further reflection (and after tempering my initial impulse), I realized that these various elements all contribute to a singular purpose that can be summarized quite succinctly: to present the reader with a uniquely expansive and unexpectedly harsh world that makes the book’s simple message about love and the essence of humanity that much more profound. I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

RELEASE DATE: 07/12/2021

STAR RATING: 4/5 ✶

SUMMARY:

Liam Mulcahey, a reclusive, shell-shocked veteran, remembers little of the Great War. Ten years later, when he is caught in a brutal attack on a Chicago speakeasy, Liam is saved by Grace, an alluring heiress who’s able to cast illusions. Though the attack appears to have been committed by the hated Uprising, Grace believes it was orchestrated by Leland De Pere–Liam’s former commander and the current President of the United States.

Meeting Grace unearths long-buried memories. Liam’s former squad, the Devil’s Henchmen, was given a serum to allow telepathic communication, transforming them into a unified killing machine. With Grace’s help, Liam begins to regain his abilities, but when De Pere learns of it, he orders his militia to eliminate Liam at any cost.

But Liam’s abilities are expanding quickly. When Liam turns the tables and digs deeper into De Pere’s plans, he discovers a terrible secret. The same experiment that granted Liam’s abilities was bent toward darker purposes. Liam must navigate both his enemies and supposed allies to stop the President’s nefarious plans before they’re unleashed on the world. And Grace is hiding secrets of her own, secrets that could prove every bit as dangerous as the President’s.

OPINIONS:

More often than not, when I find myself captivated by a speculative fiction novel, intriguing world-building plays an especially significant role. I can point to several novels that have caught my interest due to their unique and imaginative world-building, and to this day these books stand out in my memory for their ability to transport me to a world so unlike anything I might have expected. The War of the Flowers by Tad Williams and An Alchemy of Masques and Mirrors by Curtis Craddock immediately come to mind; Absynthe now falls high on this list.

Imagine if WWI had taken place on American soil, the final, definitive battle on the shores of Lake Michigan in a suburb of Milwaukee. And then imagine that WWI warfare was augmented with mechanikal exoskeletons called Hoppers and performance-enhancing biotech. Absynthe provides readers with a well-crafted and vivid “decopunk” aesthetic, inventing a world where tommy guns and flights of absynthe in jazz-filled speakeasies exist alongside automata with human intelligence, zeppelins, and bullet trains that connect Chicago with the new capital of Nova Solis. The world-building is rich and encompassing from pinstripe suits and flapper dresses to the Saint Lawrence Pact of nations allied against the US. It transports you to a world with roots in our reality, but wholly reimagined, providng ample setting for the themes of the mysterious and winding plot.

(Aside: As a Milwaukee native, this book resonated with me in a very special way. If I said this book’s setting didn’t have anything to do with my interest, it would be a bold-faced lie! I never realized how satisfying it would be to read a genre novel set in the city in which I grew up and still utterly adore. The local references to places like Lake Geneva, the Kinnickinnic River, Whitefish Bay, and Dinkel’s were like a warm hug of familiarity that I didn’t know I needed.)

But it is also a harsh world in which veterans are used and discarded, where soldiers suffer from post-traumatic stress, their mortal wounds often healed with mechanikal appendages and devices, citizens are injected with mysterious serums, and factions within the US undermine the trust of the government and each other. Bellencourt presents the evils of war and humanizes them through the struggles of his characters; Liam’s constant flashbacks, Clay’s inability to accept a life bound to mechaniks, and the revelation of Alistair’s true nature all contribute to a moral commentary on the true cost of war in the humanity that is lost in its aftermath.

The plot is a fast-paced mystery in which the main character Liam struggles to piece together the truth surrounding the tensions between, and intentions of, the government he fought for and the Uprising that is helping restore the vestiges of his shattered memory. The serums, their application, their evolution, and their interplay create an evocative SciFi plot that will have you theorizing and reading well into the night! As the truth about the serums is slowly revealed, and the pieces of the puzzle start to come together, Liam begins to question his actions and those of his leaders, the nature of his most important relationships, and ultimately what is needed to defeat the rising evil that threatens them all. His relationships are powerful in their diversity – he takes comfort from caring for his Nana, he’s devoted to his best friend Morgan, and he develops romantic feelings for Colette. But at the core of each relationship is an unconditional love, something that defines them as completely human and ultimately provides their deliverance. I found Liam’s realization and the subsequent ending heartfelt, infused with a message I think we all need right now.

Creative and intricate world-building and strong themes delivered through a griping and fast-paced plot are sure to capture any reader of Beaulieu’s debut Science Fiction novel. If I’ve captured your interest as much as this book captured mine, you can find Absynthe on Goodreads here, and pre-order it via Amazon here.