Tag: romantasy

Review: Dawnbringer by Stephanie Fisher

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Please note this review contains spoilers for the former books in this series, Shardless & Acolyte, and contains references to some of the events in this sequel. Read with caution. 

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Talya Caro survived an entire year within Queen Azura’s time loop, honing her magic for the threat to come, of which she knows precious little. Now reunited with Skylen and his wounded and demanding brother Kato, the three have begun the long trek back to Ryme through the wilderness. As Taly, Skye, and Kato return it becomes imperative they maintain the narrative that Taly is human and not the last of the time mages once hunted to extinction. Still reeling from the Shade attacks, Ryme has refortified but now a plague is sweeping through the human populace threatening so much more than just the shardless. In spite of the unrest, Taly is finally back with Skye, her friend and great love, and her family, which would be enough if not for her magic placing a target on her back. For Skye the knowledge that Taly will always be hunted draws him down a dark path where he risks harnessing a bloodcraft power that could destroy him from the inside out, if he is not first caught and imprisoned. Something stalks the shadows biding its time, and with the Aion Gate close to alignment Taly knows time is the one thing she doesn’t have—before lines are drawn and she is forced to decide what side she’s truly on.

Just me and my emotional support thousand page fantasy novel I’ve waited five years to read against the world. Dawnbringer is the long awaited third installment in Stephanie Fisher’s Tempris Pentalogy, a fantasy series set within an island sundered by magic where time mages are hunted and citizens are left bereft of the magic needed to travel between realms. A hodgepodge of fae realms—modern and fantastical, time mages gone rogue, zombie-like threats, and mages of all kinds mark this rare romantic fantasy series. Encompassed in a steampunk-esque world with regency social strata, it’s safe to say Tempris is atypical of anything else within this genre. Five years since the book that started it all, Shardless, and the cliffhanger of its successor, and this third installment is unquestionably worth every wait. Simultaneously the most romantic and traumatizing thing ever, Dawnbringer raises the stakes with a deadly plot spanning worlds and our spunky hero Taly at the center, trapped between her old life and a predetermined fate. Stephanie Fisher reunites her lovers Skye and Taly on the brink, with dark bloodcraft magic taking hold and timelines colliding. With time magic in the mix, the tension and angst are dialed up to the max and nothing is more devastating than being left in its wake.

After five years and six rereads of the first two books in this series, who is to say I don’t have a soul bond with the entire Tempris series? From discovering it during the depths of the pandemic to now, every time I reread Tempris I’m reminded of how excellent it truly is. Stephanie Fisher has a firm hold on her world building, character arcs, and romance—a virtuoso painstakingly taking apart her narrative and layering in lore, timelines, and differing streams of magic. Dawnbringer takes everything from the first two books and elevates it in an overwhelming mix of romance and emotional devastation. And I expected nothing less from Stephanie Fisher. We have timelines colliding, interdimensional beasts, a big bad threat: Aneirin or “Bill” (a nickname only Taly could have come up with), and just general tomfoolery ensuing. In the time since the first two books were published we were left with many questions. Mainly: what is the great threat closing in on the island of Tempris. At long last we have an answer, and the threat is indeed cataclysmic. With Taly facing down her fate and attempting to have it all, Dawnbringer acts as a stepping stone for the next stage of this series where its titular character is the deciding force in a timeline set before her birth. The secret recipe in this novel is tension, tension, tension, and it can be felt in every facet of the narrative.

Dawnbringer proves that families that destroy together stay together—for the most part. Where the first two books dealt primarily with Taly coming into her identity as a time mage and reconciling a violent past that led to the death of her biological mother and her uncle, Dawnbringer is altogether different. Back in Ryme, Taly reunites with her adoptive parents, Ivain and Sarina, and her cousins, Aiden and Aimee, friend and general nuisance respectively. There are plenty of difficult conversations and the reorienting of previous dynamics now that Taly’s heritage has been made known, but we finally get to see this family unit be just that—a team. How else are you supposed to trick an entire population of fae into believing a time mage is not walking amongst them? Two characters stole most of my attention in this sequel: Aimee and Kato, the brash brother of Skylen. Kato has been an unequivocal favorite of mine even before this novel but I can now confidently say I am begging for a romance between him and Aimee. Something about arrogant men and the mean women who hold them in check is a dynamic I crave deeply. As Dawnbringer progresses, timelines layer and future versions of our characters flit in and out of the present. In an action packed final act, Fisher tests her found family in a violent stand against the Sanctifiers as the opening of the Aion Gate looms ever closer and Taly is caught between her past and the choice hinted at so long ago. It’s as painful as I anticipated and yet somehow that did not prepare me for the weight of it, nor the aftermath.

Five years separate the publication of Dawnbringer from the beginning foundations of the Tempris series, but you wouldn’t be able to tell from the seamless way Fisher integrates her three novels and dawns a new era. Everything in this novel is heightened: the fate of multiple worlds, the precarious balance of the central timeline, and of course our star crossed lovers, Taly and Skye. While her family faces down a plague and an organization dedicated to eradicating those that can manipulate time, a darker threat emerges intent on harnessing Taly’s magic. With a thousand pages (at least in the ebook), no amount of page time is wasted as Fisher dives into the inner workings of Tempris and begins to uplift her previously called upon events—like the reveal of what Taly was asked to say no to by Queen Azura all those months ago. The interjections from Cori, the lil homage to Orphan Black, and the cute moments with Calcifer brought on some necessary humor to outweigh the darker parts of this novel. Speaking of which, Skylen’s descent into bloodcraft magic tied as an extent of his love for Taly. That he would willingly twist himself from the inside out just to have a chance at protecting her was not just thoughtfully developed, it was romantic as hell. In Dawnbringer, the last of the time mages takes a stand and Stephanie Fisher proves she has the power to not only take this series to new heights but to new levels of pain inflicted upon her readers. This series continues to be far too underrated for my liking. I lament both the ending and the fact that I cannot commiserate with others on that incredible cliffhanger.

Trigger warnings: death, blood, murder, violence

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Review: Princess of Blood by Sarah Hawley

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Please note this review contains spoilers for the former book in this series, Servant of Earth, and contains references to some of the events in this sequel. Read with caution.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Put forth to be executed, betrayed by the man she thought she trusted, Kenna Heron expected to die by the magical shards that grant the fae their immortality. Instead a balance was righted for the destruction of Mistei’s Sixth House half a millenia ago, and Kenna, formerly human, is granted the mantle of princess to the once decimated Blood House reborn. Awakening to her new circumstances in the middle of a violent takeover, Kenna manages to kill Mistei’s corrupt ruler, King Osric, yet the power vacuum in the aftermath of his death only threatens further unrest. With her former lover and Void House’s heir aiming for the throne, Kenna knows not who to trust—except Lara, her exiled mistress and Kallen, the former King’s Vengeance. Kenna holds the deciding vote in who should rule Mistei but has reached a stalemate, while the six houses are fracturing against divided loyalties, and a distant cousin of King Osric is vying for the throne. All she ever wanted was to survive the cruel land of the fae, but in the footsteps of her death and rebirth, it’s no longer just about her own survival. With a deadly assassin haunting her steps, and Mistei teetering on the edge of civil war, Kenna will prove once and for all if she can bring balance to Mistei, or fall into darkness like those of a long forgotten house.

Sarah Hawley’s, Shards of Magic entraps six opposing fae houses beneath the earth to grasp at power and immortality while prey to the machinations of a merciless king. This series put down precarious roots in Servant of Earth, when Kenna Heron, a young woman, braved the treacherous bogs to cross into the fae lands, becoming servant and spy to the ignoble Earth House. Princess of Blood returns us to a world reeling in the aftermath of a bloody uprising and hinging on a civil war as loyalties sunder and forbidden love takes root within the cavernous underearth. With few weapons in her arsenal Kenna, newly turned fae, stands alone as princess of the broken Blood House. Armed with Caedo, a shapeshifting talking dagger with a thirst for blood, and two unlikely allies—an excommunicated Earth Fae rendered powerless, and a murderous Void Fae and executioner, Kenna will confront her new charge in a world seeking her destruction. I already knew the Shards of Magic series was doing something special back in book one, delicately connecting tropes and story cornerstones to deliver a unique fae touched tale of rebellion and survival. Princess of Blood is where my heart latched onto this series for good. Sarah Hawley brings a sequel into being that is bloody and unapologetic, equal parts brutal as it is a hopeful beacon for change.

Princess of Blood opens on the edge of Mistei’s uprising, as Kenna, formerly a servant of Earth House is irrevocably changed into a fae and must lead a once annihilated house out of the shadows. Where book one was entirely concerned with her survival, the overarching theme for this sequel is just as transformed—the characters left to fend for themselves within the shadows being thrust into the light, to change for the better or die trying. Sarah Hawley’s character work is at its prime in Princess of Blood as those broken against a cruel crown fight to create a better world. At the center of this is Kenna, whose startling persistence and narrative voice ensorcelled me from this series’ very beginnings, but who takes to newfound heights here in this sequel. Confronting betrayal, death, and now rebirth, Kenna walks the knife’s edge between success or failure for most of this novel, and like the knife itself steels herself against the violence that comes with her position. Kenna’s force of will is impenetrable even as she dodges assassination attempts and hedges her bets to reestablish a broken house. Princess of Blood challenges Kenna’s identity and personal loyalties at every turn, amidst a poignant query into leadership and the personal costs of rebellion.

Princess of Blood is exactly the kind of follow up I love, all about characters who concentrated on surviving for so long confronting a tumultuous future side by side. This sequel concerns all kinds of unconventional alliances, but none is more unexpected than that between Kenna and Kallen, an enigmatic void fae and weapon to a fallen king. Prior to this novel, the interactions between these two were few and far between, yet they were charged with something I couldn’t quite name. Kallen and Kenna have always been predisposed to be something more, and nothing, and I mean nothing, made that more evident than his awe at her coming into her power and murdering Mistei’s king, Osric. Their relationship may have begun with a wee bit of blackmail and cynical chats, but Princess of Blood elevates them to equal standing. Reeling from her new circumstances, cut off from the man who made his life, both Kenna and Kallen are a bit out of their depths with the current state of things. And god do I love how these two are entirely stripped bare of the roles they occupied prior to the events in this novel because that is where the real magic happens.

Now we all love a mysterious fae man with shadow magic, and Hawley provides this with Kallen, a man who has made the shadows his home for so long they are all he knows. More than a bit lonely, wishing for something he can never have, Kallen is the pinnacle of the tortured romance lead. His hidden depths gave this sequel a necessary anchoring, while slightly twisting the archetype of the brooding fae love interest. Despite the blackmail of it all, Kenna and Kallen’s relationship dynamic in Servant of Earth was deeply intriguing to me (maybe because of the blackmail if I’m being honest). Yet, it  wasn’t until Princess of Blood that I unequivocally fell in love with his character. He was the breath of fresh air this book needed, getting oddly excited to spy on people in the catacombs, sparring with Kenna, and just giving her the support she needs as she faces her new situation. Kenna is entirely in control of her choices, but Kallen is someone she can rely on who gives her the space to breathe and say the things she often keeps inside. United in the loneliness of their stations and their call to bring about a better future for Mistei, Kenna and Kallen find solace in one another, and their ensuing romance is just as intimate.

The contrast Hawley draws between Kallen, a man born to be a weapon, and Kenna, a woman who had no choice in wielding the power she was given is a compelling center to the eventual romance. At the mercy of a violent king, Kenna experienced first hand the impacts of Mistei’s tyrannical regime and in Princess of Blood, sets about reckoning centuries of abuse. Kallen has always been hiding. From his father’s brutality, a king’s abuse, and his brother’s secret, all he has ever known is secrets and shadows in a world where to care about anyone is a weakness. This extends into his relationship with Kenna, who in his mind is someone who could be wielded against him if he allows people to see the depth of his feelings for her. Just as Kenna confronts her place as Blood House’s leader, Kallen confronts if he can ever leave his shadows behind to be more than just a weapon to be wielded. Love as its own kind of weapon is the vehicle for most of the conflict between Kenna and Kallen and I was eating up the tension like water in a desert. I am nothing if not predictable, but these two brought a different name to romantic yearning. I was enraptured by the dances, the heavy gazes, and the sexual tension teeming beneath the surface of their interactions. This sequel is for the real yearners because Sarah Hawley knows the hottest thing in the world is a man undone, and that man is Kallen.

Princess of Blood is a calculated dance of moves and countermoves, building to a blood soaked showdown not unlike its predecessor, but singular in its torment. I have this thing where if characters are getting overly optimistic about the future I start to hear alarm bells ringing and that was happening at several points in the final act of this novel. I went into the last few chapters with eyes half closed because I knew Hawley was going to pull something along the lines of the Servant of Earth ending—and I was right to. Currently seeking financial compensation for the emotional damages incurred (Sarah Hawley will pay for her crimes). Even knowing this, Princess of Blood is an all around phenomenal sequel. We get to see these characters challenged by their traumas, surmount difficulties, and ultimately be transformed by its ending. The Shards of Magic series is for the feral woman tearing down a flawed world to build a better one, while being loved for all that they are. In Princess of Blood, Sarah Hawley interrogates the complex morality of immortals and what we owe to those who suffered under the abuses of a crown. With a determined heroine and her bloodthirsty dagger on the scene, Princess of Blood is a chaotic continuation of The Shards of Magic series and will no doubt leave many on the edge as it certainly left me reeling in its wake.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this advance review copy.

Trigger warnings: blood, death, violence, murder, decapitation, torture, alcoholism,

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Review: Cursebound by Saara El-Arifi

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

Yeeran has departed the fae lands to return to her home and end a centuries-old war. Leaving behind her love, Furi, and her sister, Lettle, who now stand against a wave of dissent, deadly assassins, and a determined group who seek to end Lettle’s life. Used to being left behind as her sister faces war, Lettle soldiers a war closer to her heart – one of fae politics and history long buried. Trusting that her sister will bring about an end to the elven war, Lettle seeks to find answers to breaking the curse that leaves the fae forever bound to Mosima. Yet the fates who used to offer her guidance are strangely silent and her powers completely closed off to prophecy. To find answers she unites with unlikely allies and a stranger who found his way into Mosima despite a lack of fae heritage. When Yeeran’s former lover courts war against the fae instead of peace, Yeeran and Lettle must reunite and reconcile their two worlds before the lives of the elves and fae are plunged into a permanent darkness.

What I admire most about Saara El-Arifi is her ability to leave you spellbound with her writing and bereft upon finishing her stories. I have been chasing that magic since I first read her debut, The Final Strife, and her romantasy series Faebound took this captivating recipe and soared to new heights. Capturing that classic romantasy feel in a fantasy world burdened by generational cycles and war, El-Arifi infused an underlying depth to fae fantasy I had long been yearning for. Including queer and disabled characters fighting for their futures and finding love, and it’s clear why Faebound was one of my favorite debuts of the past year. As prophecies come to light and the history of two distinct peoples is unburied, Cursebound ushers in a new path for Saara El-Arifi’s Faebound series. Characters and loves are ripped apart as the freedom of the Fae and Elven Lands is contested. Cursebound is a follow-up that forges a new path within the confines of this world and reveals hidden depths that left me confounded and begging for the next book in this dazzling fantasy series.

Cursebound brings us back to Mosima, as Yeeran departs and Lettle remains. Despite the groundbreaking revelations that shook the foundations of the first installment and the tremendous change our characters have undergone, sisters Yeeran and Lettle are confronted by their old roles as they settle firmly into new ones. This second novel is where El-Arifi further hones in on her world-building, established character dynamics, and lore. The introduction of new characters really lets the narrative breathe and integrates further depth into the upheaval of the Fae and Elven worlds. Lettle continues to be my favorite character in this series and she takes on a substantial role in this novel as her partner Rayan is elevated to king and she relies on her abilities to free the fae from their home and prison. Her quiet strength is different than Yeeran’s fire, but no less important. Yeeran faces a struggle of a different nature, her past which is in direct conflict with her present. As she travels back to the Elven Lands and puts her new life on the line to attempt peace that fire is reenlivened by the very life and love she is fighting for.

From Mosima to the Elven Lands, Cursebound triggers an unrelenting pace with moments of romance, immense danger, and groundbreaking revelations. El-Arifi is a master at this balancing act and nothing is out of proportion across this gripping sequel. The continued conversation surrounding the necessity of storytelling and personal history is a powerful one – striking directly at the overarching journey of righting the past and forging a future untethered by its weight. Each of our characters face new relational conflicts in this installment that move in tandem with the external conflict. Furi and Yeeran in particular bear the costs of caring for their people and their relationship suffers as they walk down different paths to secure peace. The rage, determination, and fire these two characters possess have always been a uniting force for their love, but that finally may not be enough for what they desire. Building to yet another shocking twist (seriously how is she so good at these), Cursebound is a superb fantasy sequel. Its unique way of laying the groundwork is sure to reveal something all the more astonishing in the final installment. From her blazing Ending Fire trilogy to Faebound, Saara El-Arifi is an exceptional talent. I’ll gladly wander through any book she writes and Cursebound is just the latest in what will no doubt be regarded as one of her best fantasy series.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Trigger warnings: death, blood, murder, death of a parent (mentioned), war, violence.

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Let’s Talk: Winter Fantasy Recommendations

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Something about the winter season just screams fantasy to me so as the weather gets colder and the days get shorter I have been settling into reading more and more from the genre. This winter, the sheer number of fantasy books really popped off so this entire list simply reflects my inability to pull myself away from anything resembling fantasy or romance. But I’m mostly focusing my attention on underrated fantasy gems – books that I haven’t seen enough people talking about for my liking that should definitely be on everyone’s lists for the remainder of the year and beyond. A snapshot of these recommendations includes a rivals to lovers light academic fantasy, a fated reincarnated duo who can’t stop killing each other, a time travel do-over, a new twist on fae romantasy that includes talking daggers, and two brilliant academic fantasy novels.

Servant of Earth by Sarah Hawley

A magical dagger that talks to you and thirsts for the blood of your enemies? Say less.

As a proud romantasy enjoyer I am always on the hunt for my next obsession and Sarah Hawley’s romantasy debut is my latest. After managing to navigate the treacherous bogs that separate the fae and mortal lands, Kenna, a young human, is bound in servitude to the illustrious Earth House. Forced to assist the heir as they compete for immortality and control over their power, Kenna must outwit the members of the other fae houses while securing her place in their violent world. From the moment Kenna discovers a magical dagger in the bog with a thirst for blood and a tendency to beg for violence I knew this was going to be a unique romantasy. Playing off of some standard tropes, Servant of Earth is anything but typical. Our protagonist Kenna is clever and outspoken, as she navigates the fae court, unsteady alliances, and several romantic paramours (I am here to put forth the Kallen agenda). All I wanted for Kenna was to witness her rise after her struggle and it was so incredibly iconic to get to that point. She’s a legend, your honor!! I love the books that lean into the brutality of the fae lands and this is very much doing that while also exploring the longevity of war and living under tyranny. Book two is certain to be bloody and nothing short of brilliant and I await it most eagerly.

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Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang

Slayed boots the house down everyone is deceased.

With one of the most fraught opening chapters, M.L. Wang signified the true excellence awaiting in her academic fantasy standalone, Blood Over Bright Haven. From those first moments I knew this book was going to wreck me, but I didn’t know to what degree. Sciona, a young mage, has become the first woman to take on the mantle of highmage, but when she enters her new ranks she discovers more than the expected animosity with her peers but a flawed reality behind her city’s power that could cost her everything if acknowledged. Unflinching in its look at exploitation at the heart of progress and academia, Blood Over Bright Haven flawlessly details the descent into disillusion and Sciona’s rebirth as she resolves to bring the fetid truth to light. Part of what makes this book so brilliant is how frustrating it is to read from Sciona’s perspective – someone who while marginalized as a woman in academia, still benefits from the system in place and struggles to decenter herself when she learns the price of that power. The connection between her ambition, her underlying biases, and the desire to be seen made for a fascinating character arc, one that culminates in a rage nothing short of spectacular. In the face of this masterpiece, words really do fall short but it is brutal, powerful, and a necessary piece of fiction for modern times.

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Asunder by Kerstin Hall

I don’t want to lose you let’s merge souls bro.

Ever since she bargained with an eldrich entity, Karys Eska has been able to commune with the dead. Her latest job to uncover a ship gone astray leads her to the only survivor of the wreck, a young man named Ferain. Moments from dying, Karys binds him to her shadow, a choice that sets them on a collision course with the beings that caused the wreck and their divine allegiances holding sway – as she and Ferain become further entangled with the chance they can never separate. Perhaps the most underrated of the books I have chosen here, Asunder by Kerstin Hall is a fantasy triumph. With one of the most confounding and intense opening sequences, Kerstin Hall frames a world caught against a violent past and the uncertain future of a young woman turned Deathspeaker fighting for a future entirely of her own making. Its protagonist Karys, grasps for power in a world that has resisted her and rages against a terrible fate that awaits her when her contract is up. Karys’ vulnerability clouds the narrative and her fear of real connection, while frustrating, lends itself to her growing romance with Ferain and friendships with our main crew. The ending is SOOO diabolical and I need it to mess up more people!

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Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy

When you’re cursed to obey your greatest rival who you maybe want to kiss a little.

A brand new fantasy duology that feels like a mashup of Ella Enchanted and light academia, Sorcery and Small Magics is a delightful foray into spells gone wrong and forced proximity between two rival sorcerers who team up to break a curse. Tethered closer and closer together despite their animosity due to an unexpected curse, Doocy brings together an adventure into an enchanted forest where two rivals learn just how much they can accomplish together as they work to break it. Our protagonist Leovander was an unmitigated disaster (affectionate) and I love him so much. Characters constrained by insurmountable family expectations who rise above them to cause chaos and write their own stories will never not be loved by me. This is the first in a duology that serves to set up the larger framework for the remainder of the series but it is a thoroughly charming start. Lot’s of bickering, romantic tension, and external issues to make it so that you never put this one down.

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This Fatal Kiss by Alicia Jasinska

A water nymph annoys the local exorcist so much he falls in love.

Escape into a whimsical fantasy with a smidgeon of meddling, and a heck of a lot of heart. Gisela is a river nymph, cursed to forever wander the river in which she drowned. The only way back to her human form is a kiss from a willing human. Luckily, the spa town nearby is full of potential suitors, but Gisela can’t get past Kazik, the grandson of a witch determined to excise the troublesome creatures in the town. After a failed attempt at exorcising Gisela, Kazik agrees to help her regain her humanity, yet neither of them expects to fall for the same man and the intended receiver of Gisela’s kiss. This Fatal Kiss has a cozy fantasy atmosphere that ensnares you in its depths as nymphs, witches, and demons wander and revel in the delights of a small spa town, and something darker lies in wait. The character dynamics are what truly set this one apart. We’ve got a fantastic grumpy sunshine dynamic with Kazik and Gisela as they begrudgingly agree to help one another, and Aleksey rounds that all out with his mischievousness and secretive demeanor. The friendships among the different water nymphs were also so sweet. I went in thinking this was a standalone, but there are several loose ends I imagine will be addressed in a later sequel.

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Our Infinite Fates by Laura Steven

When you’re tethered across every lifetime but you just can’t stop killing each other.

For as long as she’s remembered, Evelyn has not lived to see beyond her eighteenth birthday. Across lifetimes Evelyn has been hunted by Arden, a young man whose very soul is tied to hers. Evelyn has never been able to surmise why Arden hunts her, nor why they are connected in this way, but her current life has never needed her so badly – with her sister in desperate need of a bone marrow transplant that only she can provide. To bargain a way out of her established fate, Evelyn will turn to her murderer across lives for one final stand-down that may prove far deadlier than their connected pasts. Our Infinite Fates was an addictive thrill ride across various lives, and loves, of two complicated people tethered together by an unknown fate. Narratively layered with Evelyn and Arden’s past lives counting back to the truth behind their curse, Steven bridges a love story for the ages that stands against the fabric of time and asks whether love truly can win out against the weight of the past. The twists in this keep coming, unburied even as they seem fully excised against the truth behind this fated connection. Admittedly the final scene in this was enough to make me cry and the entire resolution was so wonderfully wrought you’ll be thankful for the tears.

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The City in Glass by Nghi Vo

What if you were one of the angels responsible for destroying a city built up over centuries by a demon and she cursed a bit of herself to follow you forever

I am never shocked by Nghi Vo’s brilliance so this intimate expose into the lives of two immortals endeavoring to rebuild a city after its destruction was never not going to be an unforgettable story. Writing in the face of some truly iconic angel and demon duos, Vo flips the script with angels descending on a city to destroy its people and a demon who built the city up over centuries enacting her revenge and laboring to restore what was lost. The beauty in The City in Glass is in the passage of time and the resolve of a demon not wanned in the face of centuries. Nghi Vo brings together two immortal beings meant to forever bear the weight of the past and witness the hurts and triumphs of humankind. Vitrine, a demon, grapples with impermanency in contrast to her own permanency as an immortal beholden to time. The writing is a reflection of this, as years pass by and the city is restored but inevitably falls prey to violence and change. The love between Vitrine and the angel ostracized by his own kind and cursed with a part of herself was really the icing on the cake. I promise you will never be able to predict where the story ends but it feels altogether fitting for two immortals who have both hurt and loved in their own ways.

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Shoestring Theory by Mariana Costa

Cats, time travel, friends to lovers to enemies to lovers??? A triple threat.

Cozy apocalyptic time travel fantasy is a heck of a combination but Shoestring Theory pulls the threads together to create a unique and oddly hopeful queer fantasy standalone. Many years future, an aging Grand-Mage hides away from his kingdom now in ruins. His husband, King Eufrates Margrave, now rules with an iron grip and has descended into paranoia. As his days dwindle, Cyril casts a powerful spell that pulls him back to the days of his youth – before the death of the princess pulled Eufrates to the throne and madness blossomed, but unfortunately, that is not the only thing he brought back with him. Overhung by a dark future, Shoestring Theory feels like a one last shot kind of plot as cat transformations, old bonds, and future tragedy intertwine with one mage’s search for reconciliation. Rarely do I see friends to lovers to enemies that hinge back to lovers and Eufrates and Cyril were serving that to the extreme. The hatred was so powerful that I really believed these two were too far gone to ever reconcile, but Costa proves just how the past can be healed and these two, and others, can move forward. I really enjoyed the conclusion and who was really pulling the strings of fate all along. Very cozy and armed with a poignancy that had me floored.

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Rewitched by Laura Jane Wood

Oh no, the hot bisexual man with an impeccable sense of style and a tendency to announce himself in the worst possible way is tasked with keeping an eye on me!! Whatever shall I do??

Rewitched, part cozy fantasy, part bookstore love letter, and part romance is the coziest book I read this fall. I felt swept up in the magic as Belladonna Blackthorn, a young witch newly turned thirty realizes she must prove her worth to maintain her magic or lose it entirely. With the month of October to train Rewitched sparks a journey of rediscovery, with Belle’s interconnected past, her family, and her connection to her power reenlivening her way forward. Lucy Jane Wood thrilled me with a magical atmosphere that travels throughout London from the magical to the mundane spaces – all rendered with a remarkably vivid hand. The slow-burn romance kindling on the sidelines and the family bonds and close friendships really built up a foundation for the narrative and cultivated that sense of community. This was quite simply the coziest fall fantasy with a dash of romance to round it all out and you bet I will be continuing with the next novel set in this universe next fall!

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The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door by H.G. Parry

Good soup: another book exploring exploitation at the heart of academia

Four friends reunited in secret scholarly pursuits are torn apart when experimentation takes a deadly turn and old secrets bring it all crashing down. It’s 1920 and as England recovers from one the deadliest conflicts in its history, Clover Hill, a commoner, is admitted on scholarship to Camford a secret magical academy that exists to raise the next generation of magic users. She tells herself she does it for her brother – one of the only survivors of a deadly faerie attack on the battlefield during the war, but soon Clover is drawn into her own ambitions and plans that could wreck her newfound world. A dark academia similar to Babel in its narrative breadth and core friend group united and then scattered to the winds, The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door intertwines the worlds of the human and fae to expose the wounds of an established system built upon exploitation and the price of dissent. H.G. Parry adds new layers to this overarching conversation of scholarly pursuit in academia with class and gender unifying around the true cost of magic in this world. This character driven academic fantasy certainly stands on its own and should be talked about in conversation with other pillars in the genre.

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Let’s Talk: New Favorites & Upcoming Releases

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Folks we’re over halfway through the year and I still have so many books to talk about! As we transition into early fall, I’m focusing on some of the advance releases that have been wasting away in my inbox and steadily sharing my thoughts with you all on the titles that I’ve read from this summer. While I am currently in a science-fiction fantasy reading mood, I read quite a few romances this summer to balance out the heavier stuff. I have been reading so much fantasy, most of which was dragging me into a reading slump, so a lot of these were the books I picked up to drag me back out. I took a stab at the cowboy romance trend, read some sapphic recommendations from friends, and returned to my historical romance roots. Here are my thoughts on seven new favorites!

Lost and Lassoed by Lyla Sage

It’s Cowboy Summer

It was indeed all about the cowboys this summer and I decided to hop on this trend with the third book in the Rebel Blue Ranch series, Lost and Lassoed. Lyla Sage is a fan favorite in this subgenre and this is the first I’ve read from her. Now all I want to do is double back and read the other two in this series because this was a wild ride. This hate-to-love romance between chaotic fashion-minded Teddy Anderson, out of a job and down on her luck, and far too dependable Gus Ryder, the one man she cannot stand, brought on the heat. I have always had a soft spot for forced proximity romances but I must say, forced proximity but cowboy is on a completely different level. Sage composes this quiet vulnerability as these two cohabitate and open up to one another in their shared evenings. Teddy is definitely my favorite, charming, but equipped with a rough edge to match. THE cowboy romance heroine of cowboy romance heroines. Lost and Lassoed is my first Lyla Sage and it certainly won’t be my last. Just the perfect summer read!

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A Sweet Sting of Salt by Rose Sutherland

Never let your husband stop you from finding your wife.

There’s nothing I love more than a hidden folkloric fantasy gem, but make it sapphic, and the speed at which I will run to read it will shatter Olympic records. This was recommended to me by the lovely, Emily Hamilton (thank you, icon), and I had the best time reading it. A midwife living on the outskirts of her village discovers a woman in labor on the night of a terrible storm who seems determined to flee to the water and after helping her deliver the baby harbors her suspicions upon the arrival of the woman’s husband. Retelling the Selkie Wife, Sutherland weaves a seaside folktale centering around those isolated within their communities, domestic abuse, and the marginalized pushed to the outskirts. A Sweet Sting of Salt is a unique story that centers strongly around the unsettling mystery of what happened to Muirin – with a slow-burn romance to offset the strange forces at play. I found the focus on midwifery in a seaside town and the commentary on Jean’s skills & labor as what allows her to remain in her community after her “transgression” especially compelling. The ending with this one is fairy tale levels of perfect so don’t be afraid to wade into the strangeness.

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The God and the Gumiho by Sophie Kim

When he only likes two things: coffee and her>>>

A fallen god turned detective and his new assistant who is actually behind the murder of his most recent case solve a series of strange murders that could tear apart the city. Getting back at the insufferable trickster god who frequents your coffee shop by becoming his assistant to throw him off the scent of a murder you committed is only the beginning of this fabulous urban fantasy. Sophie Kim sprinkles some reluctant allies to lovers, hidden identity, and slow-burn romance into a plot to uncover a murderous demon. The God and the Gumiho is as bracing as that first cup of coffee in the morning, filled with delicious banter and the intersection of myth with a modern setting. This book has been compared by many to a Kdrama and that is absolutely spot on, with the humor and romance uplifting the darker elements, and those shocking emotional moments that cut to the core and send you reeling. The God and the Gumiho is a fun one, but don’t doubt you’ll be left in tears.

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The Worst Duke in London by Amalie Howard

Ten Things I Hate About You but make it historical romance?? oh, I ATE THIS UPPPPPP. Amalie Howard is only getting better and this whole series is impeccable

The Worst Duke in London is a sublime historical romance twist on 10 Things I Hate About You featuring a financially destitute Duke and a headstrong wallflower brought into one another’s orbit by a sly bargain. Amalie Howard is at the top of her talent with her latest series twisting classic romantic comedies into sparkling regency love stories. Loved that the entire addition with this one was: what if there were animals everywhere and the duke was attacked by kittens. Now I have always counted on Amalie to bring that incredible heat, but this was somehow even steamier than I expected. Gage and Evangeline already have an incredible connection from their initial hatred to their mutual bargain, and that translates perfectly as they engage in a physical relationship. Historical romance that retells an iconic romantic comedy with animal activism and Bridgerton vibes? What more could you want. The Worst Duke in London is a delightfully steamy historical romance romp and a fitting nod to its source material. Lovers of animals, men undone, and scandalous agreements unite!

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Make the Season Bright by Ashley Herring Blake

Happy HoliGAYS! Ashley Herring Blake is gifting us the holiday romance of the year. It’s cute, angsty, and hot as hell.

Reading a holiday romance in the dead of summer was a feat in and of itself, but for Ashley Herring Blake I will quite literally do anything, even wade into the holidays before it’s time. Make the Season Bright is a second chance romance between two ex-fiances invited to stay in Colorado for the holidays, only for them to end up being stuck in the same town, with nothing to do but deny they know each other. Ashley Herring Blake does an incredible job focusing on characters Brighton and Charlotte separately, particularly with the different perspectives of what exactly went wrong in their relationship and how those differing views can be reconciled. Make the Season Bright brings that holiday warmth and sapphic angst like a bittersweet Christmas cocktail with all the sweetness from the season meeting the lingering bitterness in acknowledging the past. Christmas is a time for memories old and new, and that is honored throughout this holiday standalone. With the past impacting the present even as these two try to give it another go, Herring Blake proves it’s never too late.

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Wooing the Witch Queen by Stephanie Burgis

When you’re determined to ignore your hot new wizard librarian but he keeps befriending all of the crows and obsessing over fountain pens.

Hidden identities and castle coziness combine like the most bewitching magic spell in this brand new romantasy series. In the vein of Ella Enchanted and Legends and Lattes, Stephanie Burgis delivers an unforgettable romantic fantasy that is uproariously funny and packs an emotional punch right among the coziness. A feared sorceress hires a wizard to aid her in the dark arts and straighten up her massive library, but little does she know he is actually an Imperial Archduke in disguise and the one she considers to be her greatest enemy. Combine castle antics with a bit of found family, intrigue, and romance and you get this book. Burgis traps two unlikely allies in a castle and makes them confront the facades they’ve upheld and the loneliness they could stand to leave behind. I love the focus on who people are behind the masks they wear and how it can be protective, or a lie to uphold to gain power over others. An all-around hilarious beginning that I will continue through for the other witches’ love stories. Read this for the massive library and crow companions alone.

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A Fire in the Sky by Sophie Jordan

Sophie Jordan I am familiar with your game, but with historical romance, so in a more real way I am unfamiliar with your game.

A Fire in the Sky brings together political intrigue, a marriage of convenience, and dragons in a fiery new romantasy series from author Sophie Jordan. Tamsyn, a young woman in the royal court, has spent her life in the palace raised alongside the royals to endure the beatings and punishments for their transgressions. Her life changes drastically when she is made to trick a feared warrior into marrying her instead of the princess he expected. Playing off of the marriage of convenience trope, Jordan stakes out the space for a new series featuring genre staples and brand-new elements intertwined. Having read an abundance of Sophie Jordan’s historicals I knew that the romance was going to be the star of the show, but considering how this ended I am even more excited to see where she takes the history behind this world and the dragon lore. A Fire in the Sky is a classic romantasy revitalized, with dragons and complicated characters meeting fate and a truth that could reshape their world. Utterly addictive and I cannot wait to read more.

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Review: A Dark and Drowning Tide by Allison Saft

Robin4 Comments

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Folklorist Lorelei Kaskel has always been set apart from her peers. None more so than Sylvia von Wolff, her long-time academic adversary, whose scintillating intelligence is matched only by an arresting beauty. All Lorelei dreams of is becoming a naturalist, a profession that will open up the borders to her world and allow her to travel without restriction. But first, she will have to prove her talents on a dangerous expedition to unearth the location of the fabled Ursprung – believed to be the source of all magic and said to harbor untold power. The untested power found within its waters is coveted by Brunnestaad’s king, Wilhelm, who wishes to claim it so that he can forcibly unify his patchwork kingdom. Alongside five nobles and her fearsome mentor, Ingrid Ziegler, Lorelei embarks on an expedition never believing what is in store is the murder of her mentor on their first night on board. Trapped with five other people with competing motivations, one of whom is the murderer, Lorelei faces the likelihood that the violence has not been curbed. Finding their way to the spring has become more pertinent, but Lorelei will have to rely on the only person she knows is innocent, her bitter rival, to make it there. Unburying the truth and discovering a spring known only in myth is enough of a challenge, without bruised hearts and unkindled longing setting them even more adrift.

A Dark and Drowning Tide is an elegantly fashioned fantasy novel that delves deep into the heart of folktales and their origin, as two women in academia fight for their place in the world and what they mean to one another. In her adult debut, Allison Saft serves up a fantasy adventure with a slice of academic rivalry that is both endearing and ardently romantic. Part romantic adventure, but centered strongly around a murder plot, A Dark and Drowning Tide brings a lot into focus but expertly uncovers what lies beneath its mirrored surface. As a longtime reader and admirer of Saft’s writing, there was little doubt in my mind that the yearning in this novel would be excruciating and the prose sublime. Since reading her young adult debut back in the pandemic, Saft has leveled up her craft tremendously and that is no more evident than with her foray into adult romantic fantasy. Exposing the flawed foundations of folklore and their influence, Allison Saft highlights the enduring power of connection in transforming ourselves and finding belonging, with love itself as the catalyst.

Reading A Dark and Drowning Tide was undeniably immersive like the crystalline pools our academics trek towards, holding the key to immeasurable power. As if ensorcelled by a faerie spell, Saft draws you down into dark waters and hits the mark with her mesmerizing prose and snippy back and forth between heated rivals. Stuck on an expedition with five nobles hardened by their shared experiences in childhood and war, Lorelei Kaskel is the odd one out. A Yeva in the kingdom of Brunnestaad, she is granted the status of a second-class citizen, kept inside a gated community with restrictions on travel outside of those walls. Lorelei is haunted, caught up in the grief of the murder of her brother and the feeling of sundering her Yevani identity the further she wades into academia. Trapped with only a narrow way forward, as ghosts from her past and her brother, Aaron, linger on, Lorelei adds another individual to her hauntings – Ingrid Ziegler, her mentor horrifically murdered on the night they depart on their expedition. Hardening her heart and barbed with protective thorns, Lorelei sticks to what she knows to uncover the truth about the murder, yet her rival Sylvia manages to worm her way past those defenses, and all for the better. 

Wishing to be a naturalist, Lorelei was instead handed a pen and told to document folktales. In accepting her fate as a folklorist, folktales have become their own kind of armor – something worn as a shield against the horrors of the world but also protection for her vulnerable heart. Allison Saft attaches the meaning behind every story across this novel, as Lorelei uses folktales to make sense of her world, contextualizing human behavior and her experiences along the Ruhigburg expedition. Opening up to Sylvia is in part removing the barriers that have protected her for so long, and acknowledging how they have pushed away someone who could have been a friend and ally. The romance between Lorelei and Sylvia was the slowest of slow burns for one reason and one reason only: these two are idiots. Lorelei and Sylvia were idiots to lovers first and academic rivals second and I love them all the more for it. There’s tension between their misperception of the state of their relationship that plays out rather comedically as they begrudgingly become allies. Lorelei is head too full of thoughts, none of them the right ones, and Sylvia is just unbridled longing and a desire to be seen. Dissolving these barriers is a journey in itself, as they ride across snowy plains on the back of Mara’s, go deep sea diving with Nixies, and endure only one tent trope one night after the next. Allison Saft takes her time drawing together the story these two can write side by side, but it’s one that is entirely hopeful and leaves them in control of the narrative.

In A Dark and Drowning Tide, Allison Saft harnesses folktales as a reflection of societal wounds, and the hurt and hate they reflect and in turn, spur. Lorelei is intrinsically caught up in this as a folklorist and a young Jewish woman, but she inadvertently becomes trapped by story.  Lorelei deals with having to sunder parts of herself and her faith if she ever wants to survive outside of the Yevanverte and make a name for herself as a naturalist. Caught up in grief and enduring memory, Lorelei finds power in charting her own story and honoring the memory and sacrifices of those who came before her. Her love story with Sylvia is an extension of that as they navigate a course out of an impossible situation discovering exactly how they were wrong about each other and choosing a future that they can write together. A Dark and Drowning Tide has struck a wonderful harmony with a romance between misunderstood rivals and lost souls finding respite. It’s the kind of book I want to stay wrapped up in forever. Wonderfully layered like what lies beneath some hidden well of power, Allison Saft’s talent lies in her capacity to depict intense yearning, the flaws in believing you know your enemy, and the traumas endured but ultimately survived. This is a story that will undoubtedly resonate with many, leaving behind a kernel of hope that will kindle and then spark into an inferno.

Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Trigger warnings: violence, death, murder, blood, war, panic attacks, colonization, antisemitism

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Review: The Hemlock Queen by Hannah Whitten

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

In the aftermath of the death of King August, Dellaire now stands on a precipice. Emerging from the rubble of a fractured kingdom, Lore must guard her power over death magic further as the now King Bastian elevates her to his right hand. Beset by enemies from outside and within, with the Kirythean Empire growing in presence and their closest allies having all but abandoned them, Lore and Bastian fight to stay the course. But the disquiet Lore feels is only exacerbated by the strange behavior from Bastian and a voice in the dark that commands her attention. Things are not as concluded from the events preceding the fall of the former king and Lore is certain something darker is working to overtake them. Bastian has his own plans, of which Lore plays the part, but as the impending coronation looms and Bastian’s unsettling behavior grows, she’ll have to rely on secrets of her own to outsmart her enemies. Because the voice in the dark has a name, and it belongs to someone Lore had hoped would stay buried.

Betrayal, lies, and deadly secrets invigorate this poisonous sequel to the Foxglove King, as Lore battles a war within her own heart and a divine force intent on overtaking the entire kingdom. In this sequel, Hannah Whitten brings readers into a world on the verge of ruin, and the three people that could save it from its deadly fate. The Nightshade Crown trilogy is Whitten in her element, and that is clear from this astonishing sequel that hits just as hard regardless of whether you’d read it yesterday or several months ago. After the cataclysmic conclusion of the Foxglove King, I was firmly awaiting the return to this world and where this story would go. Suffice it to say, I was unprepared for the devastation to my heart, and to Whitten’s own characters. 

The Hemlock Queen elevates the stakes of The Foxglove King, barbed with court politics and fraught dynamics between its core trio, now at odds. Still reeling from the events preceding King August’s death, Lore comes to terms with her new role and fights the cost of her own survival. Where the Foxglove King reaches out its claws, The Hemlock Queen develops a slow-building poison that gradually takes its deadly effect. Jumping into this sequel feels a little out of sorts at first, but I have a feeling that was because I had forgotten so much of what happened in the first book in the eight months since I had read it. That feeling passes as Whitten leans into the chaos and orchestrates her discordant symphony like a train wreck you cannot look away from. Though I was a huge fan of book one, it is the Hemlock Queen where the series really gains a foothold and all of the pieces laid in the Foxglove King begin to slot into place. With a slower pace, The Hemlock Queen takes its time to elevate the disquiet, the moves and counter moves its characters make in reaction to certain developments. The unsettling nature of the narrative feels prickly, like thorns barbed in skin – a feeling only heightened by the cold behavior from Bastian and the venomous court. Lore remains my favorite character in this series, her selfishness and her determination are the driving force behind everything and I love that so much. With all of the foreshadowing and angst layered in, I’m all the more scared for her in the forthcoming finale. The Hemlock Queen was nothing as I expected, but that alone is what makes it so devastating. Whitten bridges the world of gods and humans until they meet on a knife edge, where they remain until its heartwrenching conclusion. It’s safe to say Hannah Whitten knows how to write epic sequels. This twisted high fantasy trilogy continues to astonish and The Hemlock Queen shifts it from sensational to absolutely legendary. 

Thank you to Edelweiss and Orbit Books for providing the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Trigger warnings: gore, violence, parental abuse, alcohol consumption

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Review: A Song of Ash and Moonlight by Claire Legrand

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

Ever since the fire that almost claimed her life, Farrin Ashbourne has guarded her heart and her power over others. The fire that inevitably consumed the Ashbourne estate was set alight by none other than the Bask family, the great enemies of the Ashbourne’s. Long after her mother’s flight and the departure of her younger sister, Farrin has placed herself unflinchingly in the role as head of the family, and even with the curse dividing the Basks and the Ashbournes now broken, she finds no end to her restlessness. Now the Kingdom is on the brink of war with unseen forces and the barrier of the Middlemist is weakening. United, the Ashbourne and Bask families may be the only hope of fighting back. Unfortunately, this means Farrin will come face to face with Ryder Bask, the eldest son and handsome thorn in her side. With new magic blooming and many now missing, their list of allies grows thin. Worse, whispers of a city hidden in moonlight unable to be reached by prying eyes. As they join forces, Farrin finds an ally and friend in Ryder Bask, who carries a burden of his own. Finding the truth may mean finally taking off her well-worn armor and forging something different– for their adversaries bleed the old gods, and the new.

Claire Legrand has long been a legend in the fantasy genre and A Song of Ash and Moonlight is her stretching her skill in a wonderful blend of romance, action, and expansive fantasy. In this brilliant sequel, Claire Legrand elevates her foundations to create a beautiful slow burn enemies to lovers romance between steadfast sister Farrin Ashbourne, and the eldest son of the Bask family, Ryder. Ever since I read A Crown of Ivy and Glass last year and Claire gave us the most delicious crumbs between these two I have been aching to read their story. (The scene where her music causes him to approach her on stage while speaking an old forgotten language sustained me for a whole year if you could believe it). Farrin was easily one of my favorite characters coming out of the first book, and I’m such a fan of the guarded older sister archetype that this couldn’t be anything but the best book ever.

Claire Legrand returns to her Middlemist Trilogy and a world on the brink of change as the Ashbourne siblings set aside old grudges and work to rebuild a relationship with their family’s sworn enemies, the Basks. A Song of Ash and Moonlight weaves a cunning mythos and romantic arc in a sequel that showcases its characters at their height and brings old gods and new smashing together in cataclysmic ways. The stakes are the highest they can be with old barriers breaking down, and new horrors descending on the Ashbourne family and the world entire. Calculating and precise, Farrin Ashbourne is the essential perspective for this secondary chapter. Fighting old wounds and attempting to stave off the dangers while closely guarding her heart, she’s a heroine one can struggle with and heal through. Farrin stands at the front of everything Legrand has built in the series thus far and has earned her status as chief of the Ashbourne sisters. As always, I love the balance of plot and romance Claire has captured in her writing. It’s enough to have you chasing the next interaction with Farrin and Ryder while aching to break through that outer shell to unveil the truth. There are so many clever moments woven in that allow Farrin to confront her traumas and work to build something new for herself. Ryder Bask intersects this journey at exactly the right time, fighting wounds of his own and the perfect outlet for somebody like Farrin. There are fight scenes, quiet conversations, and a deep understanding they find with one another against the chaos. Amidst their developing romantic relationship, the continued focus on consent and sexual compatibility was excellent. It’s not something I see often intertwined in romantic fantasy and I loved how much of that was a core focus. This sequel is undoubtedly taking the crown for best in the series. Legrand expertly layers her character development, plot, and twists, and the final confrontation is one of the finest I have read from a fantasy novel in some time. A Song of Ash and Moonlight is exactly what I wanted from a sequel, revealing hidden ancestry and an unexpected connection to the gods while flawlessly merging high-stakes fantasy and devastating romance. The Middlemist Trilogy is an incomparable fantasy series and this sequel only has me more excited for its conclusion next year.

Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing the review copy.

Trigger warnings: fire, blood, violence, death

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Review: Faebound by Saara El-Arifi

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

All her life Yeeran has known bloodshed. Raised to inherit a war responsible for countless deaths, Yeeran now ranks as Colonel. In opposition is her sister Lettle, who spends her days divining the future and a way out of their troubles. After a routine patrol ends in the deaths of hundreds of soldiers, Yeeran is exiled from the elven lands and left to wander the wilderness beyond for the remainder of her days. Intent on rejoining her sister, Lettle ventures into the harsh landscape, and when the two finally reunite it is in a death that puts them face to face with the fae, beings that have been believed dead for centuries. Taken into their hidden world against their will, Yeeran, and Lettle shoulder the harsh reception of the fae court as Yeeran is put on trial for the murder of their prince. Instead, Yeeran awakens a legacy that has long awaited her as a half-fae, an individual who can bond to beings of immense power, and harness their abilities as Faebound. With her origins still a mystery, and many who want her and her sister dead, Yeeran and Lettle will have to gather their allies and discover a truth that will fracture an already unstable world.

Curses, prophecies, and magic intersect with devastating romance in this sensational sophomore series debut from author Saara El-Arifi. Faebound is everything I’ve been yearning for from fae-centered fantasy – rooted in compelling quests for truth, an end to generational traumas, and the altering of history and its power over entire civilizations. Bonus for its intricately developed relationships between women, romantic and familial. Saara El-Arifi is quickly becoming a fantasy author to watch, as she debuts a brand new trilogy here and is wrapping up her Ending Fire Trilogy this coming summer.

In Faebound, El-Arifi sketches a brutal landscape divided by war and two sisters on separate paths that must converge. Each must meet their destiny, Yeeran with her rough edges tested by her fate as a Faebound and her newfound abilities, and Lettle, a dreamer who must harness her innate power to divine. This is first and foremost a story of sisterhood and the power of that bond. Through Yeeran and Lettle, El-Arifi focuses on a younger generation growing up in a time of immense strife and the intergenerational consequences of war and colonization. These two have been dealt a lot of pain, but their bond underpins everything else and is a constant source of strength. Though there is more of a direct focus on Yeeran as she takes up the mantle of Faebound and comes to terms with her origins, it is Lettle who truly was my favorite to read from. Lettle is the outer perspective – the one who remains behind, the sister trying to hold it together when her loved ones have gone to war or passed on, and someone trying to make sense of her place in the world. Lettle seeks to read a world determined to sideline her. The themes of prophecy and divination are intrinsically tied into her arc of commanding divination and harnessing her own destiny. Separately, Yeeran is bonded to a snarky but loveable animal companion and set against a commander seeking vengeance for the death of her prince. There’s a bit of an enemies-to-lovers arc that evolved out of this and tied in very nicely with the focus on truth and the power of close bonds. Bringing in drum magic, legacies cast off and undertaken, and numerous twists it shall come as no surprise that this is a new favorite. This is a fast-paced, outstanding series debut and one I’ll be singing praises to for months to come. Faebound is a dark, glorious fae story empowered by love, sisterhood, truth, and an end to war.

Thank you to Del Rey for providing a physical arc to review.

Trigger warnings: death, blood, violence, murder, war, grief

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