Book Reviews

An abstract exploration around perception and traditional gender roles of young women, Xenobe Purvis’s debut novel the Hounding is an atmospheric story that feels like a grounded and historical fairy tale expanded into a full length book. Featuring a free-flowing 3rd person multiple POV presentation and effective use of unreliable narration, the Hounding is an interesting read conducive to bookclub/literary discussions due to its clever plotting and open-ended nature. While I felt the book’s overall trajectory could’ve been developed further and its abruptly occurring just when it felt like it was hitting its stride, this book is nonetheless an interesting read that matches the unsettling feel and tone of its cover well. “Girls—normal human girls—people could contend with; they were weak and small. And dogs too could be trained. But girls who became dogs, or who let the world believe they were dogs, were either powerful or mad: both monstrous possibilities.” Set in the fictional rural village of Little Nettlebed in an unspecified but clearly historic age, the Hounding follows various residents, their impressions, and thoughts about five sisters referred to as the Mansfield girls. Having lost both parents and living with their ailing grandfather who is going blind, the…

Pitched as an enemies-to-lovers, cursed prince story with a dark academia flavor, on paper Seven Deadly Thorns has a lot going for it. Capitalizing on many popular romantasy tropes and hooks, the story has all the right elements in addition to having some pretty snappy action and great ambiance at times. However, the execution leaves much to be desired and by trying to cram so many different storylines into the book, the result is that nothing is done particularly well. Great ideas brought down by whiplash storytelling and nonsensical plotting, unfortunately this one was a bit of a mess for me, though at least it is a mildly entertaining mess. (On Goodreads 1.5 star rating rounded down) When I started reading Seven Deadly Thorns, I wasn’t entirely sure if it was Harry Potter-esque Dramione fanfic that was reworked to be an original story or coincidentally ended up this way given the similarity of its setting, characters, and general feel. Whether it was an intentional choice or not, the book’s best feature for me was its setting, atmosphere, and mysterious intrigue (in the first half of the book only). Starting in a commons courtyard, dark academia classes, prefects, and iconic castles,…

An intense African inspired fantasy story, Marvellous Michael Anson’s Firstborn of the Sun is an impressive and commanding traditionally published debut novel. An imaginative and complex power struggle story of magic and action, this book has an expertly crafted plot that’s twisty, full of turmoil, and honors its cultural influences while also being very accessible and compelling. With confident storytelling and distinctively fresh fantasy elements, Firstborn of the Sun is a well-rounded and excellent start to Anson’s planned epic fantasy trilogy. I will be the first to admit that having zero familiarity with Yuruban culture, I had no idea what to expect from this book having received it as part of Goldsboro’s GSFF subscription. However, I am glad to have been exposed to this book as it’s a really solid one! Set in the fictional Continent and Kingdom of Oru that’s governed by a monarchy and Holy Order, Firstborn of the Sun’s strong African roots and inspirations are one of the book’s biggest highlights. A good number of popular high fantasy books tend to be loosely based around European fantasy material that can often feel stale or uninspired, but this book is distinctively different and conceptually very refreshing. As to…

An immersive and ambitious historical fiction story set during the early days of World War II, Maggie Stiefvater’s the Listeners explores the effects the war has on individuals providing hospitality support at the esteemed and legendary hotel Avallon. A complex and nuanced character piece, this book is centered around the temporary housing of Axis-affiliated diplomats in the US. Well-researched, beautifully written, thoughtfully constructed, Stiefvater’s adult novel debut is an impressive and rewarding read, albeit one that is not for everyone given its relatively sparse plot and measured pacing. Unlike others, I somehow missed out on reading Stiefvater’s previous YA series during my extended hiatus from reading, so the Listeners was my blind introduction to her work. From what I have gathered based on what I’ve heard, I think it’s helpful to note that for those a fan of her past books, this one likely reads very differently. Serving as her adult novel debut, this book is a true novel written for adults using more advanced phrasing, subtle character writing, and has themes that require the reader to read between the lines. This is not the type of adult novel popularized by booktok or bookstagram where it’s essentially YA fantasy book simply flavored by added…

Swapping the streets of New Sinsi in the 90’s for a luxury cruise upon a crimson river in the underworld, the God and the Gwisin is part two of Sophie Kim’s Fate’s Thread duology. Serving as both the continuation and conclusion following the God and the Gumiho’s dramatic ending, like its reincarnated main character, this book is both similar yet notably different from its predecessor. Having prior knowledge that this book has a different focus and approach compared to the first book which I really enjoyed, this one unfortunately wasn’t quite my cup of tea despite having many positive highlights. Leaning heavier towards its fantasy romance elements, this book is a great followup for those who wanted more romance from the previous book albeit at the cost of its crossover appeal and blending of different genres. Note: As this is a review of a sequel book in a duology series, this review assumes prior reading or knowledge of the first book the God and the Gumiho. This review is only spoiler free for the God and the Gwisin, if you haven’t read the first book yet, please refer to my past review of it first. After the decisive and largely…