#Greymist Fair

[exeuntstormtroopers]

You mention in your bio that you do books and art, is the art scenes from Monstrous Sea in Eliza and Her Monster art done by you? Also, I see you have a computer degree, so are you a self-taught artist?

It is! I do all the artwork inside my books (and occasionally some on the covers, like the characters in the hands on ELIZA and the entire Katzenjammer cover).

And yes, I’m largely self-taught. I’ve taken a few mandatory art classes in school, but most of what I know I learned by practicing, finding guides, and just a lot of experience.

[libertyreads]

Hello! Are there any books that exceeded your expectations this year? 😊

Hiiii!

I've had such an up and down reading year this year. How has this year gone for you? I've had some low lows and some high highs this year.

So, me being me, I have a list of books that surpassed my expectations. 😆

Royals by Rachel Hawkins was oddly good for me? Almost 4 stars.

Greymist Fair by Francesca Zappia was better than anticipated. Over 4 stars.

The Curse of Broken Shadows by Laura Winter was one I didn't know what to expect walking into it but it was a solid 4 star book for me. The character work is just chef's kiss.

Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison is my Christmas entry to this list. It was a SOLID romance and it had a lot of Christmassiness to make my heart happy. (4.25 stars from me.)

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. Look. Look. I KNOW. I know. But this book had me twirling my hair and blushing like a school girl. I don't know what you want from me. (One of only a handful of 5 star reads from me out of 164 books so far this year.)

[noveltyreads]

Greymist Fair by Francesca Zappia Book Review

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

In all honesty, I had no idea what I was getting into when I first started reading Greymist Fair. I knew I would be getting a haunting, fairytale-like novel but I didn't expect it to like it as much as I did.

I read Made You Up a few years ago so I was already familiar with Francesca Zappia's writing. I haven't read any other books but knew she went down a darker, more spookier path in recent years. Greymist Fair, just like the aforementioned book is well-written and draws you in from the first page. I was hooked and as the book progressed, I got more and more sucked into the story and it didn't let me go. 

The book is separated into 7 (??) stories. They all seem different but interconnected in some way. The overarching story is discovering what is lurking in the woods and why people disappear there. My favourite stories had to be about the Prince who granted wishes, Katrina, Fritz and Doctor Death. All the stories were so interesting and fascinating to read. If this book was a TV show I think I would definitely watch it because it was that gripping and atmospheric. 

When I first opened the book and saw the huge list of villagers (or characters), I immediately felt a little overwhelmed and worried this book might introduce too many people for me to keep track of. I thought the way the author tackled this throughout the book was perfect. At the end of the book you're introduced to everyone however, the characters are all introduced bit by bit so it doesn't seem too overwhelming. I loved how every villager had a personality, a story and depth. They all felt so alive and real and that really showed on the page. Even Death had a deep backstory and a unique character perspective. 

All in all, this book was very enchanting, atmospheric and true to the nature of Grimm's original tales. It comes out tomorrow so be sure to check it out. 

ACTUAL RATING: 4.3 STARS 

[blogthefiresidechats]

Latest haul!

I had to go run a couple of errands today and I stopped at the book store while I was out (my favorite place). Even if I don’t purchase any books, I enjoy my favorite drink from the cafe that is located in the corner while I’m there. Anyway, I did find some new books to add the to the collect. All but one of them were found in the bargain section that they have towards the back left hand corner.…

[siriuslygrimm]

Fearsome Fabled Forest

#BOOKREVIEW - Fearsome Fabled Forest - #GreymistFair #blog

A village tucked away in a dangerous, magical wood experiences a string of strange events that have great, lasting impact for those in the village in Greymist Fair by Francesca Zappia. Within the small village of Greymist Fair that’s tucked within a dark, dangerous forest live a group of families who never leave but receive the occasional traveler brought in on the safety of the road. Well aware…

[elliepassmore]

Greymist Fair review

5/5 stars Recommended if you like: fairytales, fantasy, short stories, multiple POVs, dark fairytales, spooky season Big thanks to Netgalley, Harper Collin's Children's Books, and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review! I'm so glad I got this ARC, it's the perfect read for spooky season/Halloween. The book features seven stories that are retellings of lesser known Grimm's fairytales. The stories tell a nonlinear narrative about the inhabitants of the strange town of Greymist Fair. Now, this narrative style won't be for everyone, but I absolutely loved it! This book is very atmospheric, with the town of Greymist Fair being set in a magical wood with creatures, wargs, that hunt down those who wander from the road. At the same time, the road that leads to Greymist Fair isn't always a straight line, it has a nasty habit of making the journey to the town longer or shorter, sometimes preventing travelers from reaching it entirely. Each of the stories has their own element of spooky to them but manage to maintain that level without getting too scary. The first story, The Girl Who Outran Death, has Heike, the tailor's daughter, as the main character. Heike's mother has been dead for four years, and so she is the new tailor, though her mother's association with the witch of the woods (however beneficial for the town) means Heike sees few of her neighbors as clients. In this tale, the body of a Greymist Fair villager shows up on the west road, a road that is supposed to be safe from the monsters, sending the town into a frenzy. Heike proves her smarts and her bravery in dealing with the situation, and I enjoyed reading things from her POV. The Prince's Riddle takes us back in time, to when Heike was a child, and is told from the POV of a prince who can grant wishes. This prince makes people answer riddles before granting a wish, giving hard riddles to the people at court and easy ones to peasants and townsfolk, and refuses to grant wishes to children. The prince ends up in Greymist Fair after joining a traveling caravan/troupe/market, only to be disappointed by their disinterest in his wish granting. I actually didn't find the prince to be that bad, though he certainly has some negative qualities (including being more annoyed that a child is crying after being beaten than by the person doing the abuse). While the prince seems to be a random character/story, his presence serves to provide some background on some of the characters of Greymist Fair, including Wenzel, the innkeeper and Heike's best friend. Wolf Children answers a mystery you don't even know is a mystery. In it, Liesel, one of the townspeople about Heike's age and the sister of the murder victim from the first story, gets visits from her brother's ghost, who tells her something is afoot in Greymist Fair. Liesel comes across as fairly unfriendly, but in a way that I think is understandable. While she isn't the most likeable character, she has a lot of mettle and does the right thing without a second thought. Katrina goes back in time again to when Heike's mother was still alive. In this one, the daughter of Lord and Lady Greymist, Katrina, is alive (as are they) and is eager to go into town by herself to hang out with the kids her age. Unfortunately, she gets caught up with Hans, who over all the previous stories has been shown to be bad news, and Fritz, Hans' seemingly not-so-bright friend. Katrina and Hans make a deal to ask the witch of the woods for magic, but as everyone knows, the woods around Greymist Fair are full of things more terrible than a witch. I definitely felt for Katrina since she was both smart enough to know Hans was bad news and to recognize that something wasn't right at the witch's house, she just came to the wrong conclusion(s). The Secret of Grey Lake was definitely my least favorite, largely because Hans gets something he wants. This story takes place in the 'present' and is really Fritz's story, not Hans'. Fritz finds a wish-granting fish in Grey Lake and Hans begins demanding wishes. Poor Fritz, who wants a friend but also kind of knows Hans is a little shit, does what Hans asks to the detriment of literally everyone but Hans (and maybe the fish, the fish seems fine, lol). On one side, this story goes to show what happens when you give heartless, arrogant people too much power, but on the plus side we also get to see Fritz come into his own and the consequences for the people who abuse their power. Despite his mistakes, I do actually like Fritz as a character. Doctor Death again takes place in the past, largely prior to Heike's birth, and focuses on Doctor Death, aka the traveling doctor that sometimes visits the town, as well as Heike's mother, Hilda. Doctor Death actually has a pretty interesting life story and I enjoyed learning about him and his practice and companion. The Wargs of Greymist is the last story in the collection and takes place pretty much immediately after the end of The Secret of Greymist Lake. In it, the village is being sieged by the monsters of the woods, with fear driving them toward their targets. This last story features Wenzel as the main character, and we really get to see him in his element of taking care of Heike and making people happy at the inn. I thought this story had a nice holiday feel and was a nice note to end on. The ending felt appropriate too. My favorite two characters were definitely Heike and Wenzel. Heike has so much life in her, and she seems both friendly and responsible. She's protective over the people she cares about, but she's also willing to do what's right by the town, even if the 'witch' association gets her some side eyes. Wenzel is someone who has had hardships but has turned around and decided to put the love and kindness in the world that he wishes he'd gotten as a young child. One of the things I liked about him was that he was genuinely happy to run his parents' inn and liked having guests there. I liked getting to see things from Fritz's POV since it made him a more likeable character. I also wouldn't have minded seeing more of Liesel, even if she wasn't the most likeable, especially at first. Overall, I enjoyed this book and thought it was the prefect October read. I really liked the format of nonlinear short stories as well.

[selfishdoll]

࣪ ִֶ　𝜗𝜚　‧ MANI’S GRIMM RETELLINGS !

ㅤ 𐔌᭥ᩙ༉ㅤ through an era of frog princes & poisoned apples, witness the many stories starring reader and jjk men that take twists that range between innocent and quite deadly. each retelling is based off the grimm brother’s fairy tales (except greymist fair which is based off of francesca zappia) & will share elements.

AUTHOR’S NOTE. these fics are in celebration of 1k followers! thank you very much for the support & while it it a little overwhelming i’m extremely happy you all enjoy my works and much more. i’ve been wanting to do this for a while & decided now was the perfect time. with that being said if there is a character & fairy tale you’d like to request— please let me know! i would love to write for you.

WARNINGS BEFORE ENTERING THE FAIRY TAIL(s). while i am not one that typically writes dark content, i believe only one will have it (it’ll be obvious who). & when i say dark content i do not mean incest or stepest or rape. i mean killing, gaslighting, etc. such warnings will be properly tagged both here and on the actual fic. thank you. and these fics will have smut so please be wary.

✦ᣞ ⊹ ݁ GREYMIST FAIR ✶ ˖ ࣪

STARRING: RYOMEN SUKUNA

WARNING(S): strangers to lover(s) | reader is quite fearless & a little stupid | true form sukuna | double penetration | stomach riding | oral sex (f. recieving) | sukuna is amused by reader fr fr | rough sex | manhandling | minimal amounts of praise & degradation | overstimulation | spanking | cum denial | dacryphilia | etc

greymist fair was a simple village, known for the dangerous woods seated at the edge of the town. no one dared to enter in fear of what resided in them. yet the ever-curious and humble tailor known as [name] didn’t know the meaning of fear. she always teetered on the line of the forest, struggling not to enter. the older villagers would dissuade her, even shouting at her at times when she got far too close.

she was so tempted.. so.. desperate to see what was inside the forest. something was holding her back.

well that something dissipated the moment a body was found infront of the tree-line, causing the ever so curious, ever so nosy [name] to enter.

✦ᣞ ⊹ ݁ BLUEBEARD ✶ ˖ ࣪

STARRING: KENJAKU

WARNING(S): slightly dark themes | gaslighting | fear | horror | mentions of death & murder | porn with plot | kenjaku is a sweet husband.. on the surface | he’s possessive | praise | rough sex | manhandling | major & minor character death | etc.

being married off to the widowed kenjaku was supposed to be simple. he was a caring man, sweet and attentive to your needs— always listening, always there for you. you believed all was perfect, you were settled for life; surely.

things, however, take a dark turn when you noticed a foul odor from the basement within your lovely home. you ask kenjaku about it countlessly times yet he assures you it is nothing.

and well, your adoring, loving husband had no reason to lie— right?

✦ᣞ ⊹ ݁ ROBIN HOOD ✶ ˖ ࣪

STARRING: NANAMI KENTO

WARNING(S): enemies to enemies with benefits(?) | buzzed sex | rough sex | nanami taking his frustration out in reader and she is 100% okay with it | praise & degradation | pet names (minx, brat, etc) | hair-pulling | cervix fucking | dumbification | dacryphilia | semi-public sex | etc.

constantly chasing a person was exhausting, wasn’t it? being right on their heels only to fail to capture them for the millionth time. that’s how nanami kento felt when it came to you, his town’s own little robin hood. he knew your identity, your cause, everything and yet— he never succeeded in capturing you. the frustration was clear with each step he took, with each visit to the tavern nestled in the corner of the town.

today was like any other, nanami failing to stop the weekly heist you conducted. he was tired, annoyed, and ready to drown his concerns in alcohol.

until he sees you, in his favorite spot.

✦ᣞ ⊹ ݁ RAPUNZEL ✶ ˖ ࣪

STARRING: TAKUMA INO

WARNING(S): strangers to friends to lovers | unrealistic hair length | reader’s hair is kinky & in braids to make it easier for me | porn w/minimal amounts of plot | slight breeding kink | pet names [beautiful, princess, etc] | praise | pussy drunk! ino | oral sex (f. recieving) | mf rambles so much | etc.

a sheltered young woman by the name of [name] resided inside a tower, kept in a hidden place within the vast forest. for years she longed for a visit besides her mother that only ever returned to brush and braid the beautiful locks that protruded from her head. she would spend days at the window, singing pleasantly in hopes of something, someone to hear. & her prayers are answered, one day.

✦ᣞ ⊹ ݁ CINDERELLA ✶ ˖ ࣪

STARRING: GOJO SATORU

WARNING(S): familial abuse | reader is treated as a maid | discrimination | fat shaming (from stepmother & step siblings) | ooc gojo | love at first sight | gojo is a prince | magic & what not | porn with plot(?) | praise | reader is chubby & curvy | pet names (beautiful, princess, sweetheart, mine, etc) | pussy drunk! gojo | he loves eye contact & talking | slight whiney gojo | etc.

your life was hell the moment your father was buried. you went from a loving family to a grueling partnership; forced to work to the bone to appease your step-mother and step-sisters. you hated it, hated them, and hated the life you were destined for. you wished for a night away from it all, to be a normal girl for once. of course, you would never get such a thing.

you weren’t even invited to the ball.

however, all hope isn’t as lost as you think the moment a woman sprouting wings appears infront of you and declares she will make sure you make it to that ball.

MORE CHARACTERS TO BE ADDED

[wormwoodandhoney]

i read a lot. i don't make edits for every book i read, because i just... read too much. but here are some of my favorites of the first quarter of the year. in the order i read them:

The Goblin Emperor- the first book I read this year, first edit I made. One of my favorite themes of all time is the importance of kindness, and this book describes this through a slow but fascinating examination of a young outsider becoming king in a beautifully built fantasy world. I did make an edit for this one!

The Bandit Queens- Kind of a dark comedy about a woman in an Indian village whose husband has disappeared. The village believes she has murdered him, and she lets them because it means they'll leave her alone. This backfires on her when some other women in the village come t her asking for help getting rid of their husbands.

The Black Queen- After the first Black Homecoming Queen at the local high school is murdered, her mourning best friend decides to solve her murder.

Peter Darling- Queer, trans retelling of Peter Pan. Drew gave me this book. I don't know if there's any way for me to separate that. It's important to me.

Forest of a Thousand Lanterns- (And it's sequel!) Asian-inspired retelling of Snow White, with the first one as just a delicious villain origin story of the Evil Queen. Genuinely don't know if it's ever been done as nicely as it is here.

Witch Hat Atelier- I don't read much manga anymore, but I'm obsessed with this one! The magic system is just so, so, so good and the art is breathtaking.

It's OK That You're Not OK- This book has been a lifesaver in grief.

Lone Women- Historical horror at its finest. A single Black woman in 1915 travels to Montana with a heavy steamer trunk that she keeps locked at all times. Because when it's opened, terror is released.

Some runners-up: Priory of the Orange Tree, Greymist Fair, The Neighbor Favor, Muted, She Is A Haunting

[ninja-muse]

2023 Release TBR

⭐️🏳️‍🌈 - queer rep     🇨🇦 - Canadian author    ⭐️ - BIPOC MC

📘 - have an ARC bold - newly added

Courting Dragons - Jeri Westerson (historical mystery) - January 3

In the Upper Country - Kai Thomas (historical fiction) - January 10 🇨🇦⭐️

On Savage Shores - Caroline Dodds Pennock (history) - January 24 ⭐️

Impossible Histories - Hal Johnson (history) - February 7 📘

Malady of the MInd - Jeffrey A. Lieberman (history/psychology) - February 21 📘

In a Land Without Dogs the Cats Learn to Bark - Jonathan Garfinkel (literary historical fiction) - February 21 📘🇨🇦

Rose/House - Arkady Martine (science fiction) - March

Greymist Fair - Francesca Zappia (YA fantasy) - March 28 📘

The Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fisher - E.M. Anderson (fantasy) - April 21

Death of a Bookseller - Alice Slater (mystery) - April 25 📘

Moorewood Family Rules - HelenKay Dimon (contemporary fiction) - April 25 📘 DNF

The Disenchantment - Celia Bell (historical fiction) - May 16 📘🏳️‍🌈

The Water Outlaws - S.L. Huang (historical fantasy)  - June 20 🏳️‍🌈 ⭐️

The Ghost Theatre - Mat Osman (historical fiction) - June 27 📘

Lines Drawn Across the Globe - Mary C Fuller (history) - July 15

The Haunting Season - ed. Bridget Collins (horror/short stories) - August 1 (Canadian release)

Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon - Wole Talabi (contemporary fantasy) - August 8 ⭐️

Like Every Form of Love - Padma Viswanathan (memoir/true crime) - August 22 🇨🇦 🏳️‍🌈 📘 ⭐️

My Roommate is a Vampire - Jenna Levine (fantasy/romance) - August 29 📘

Dark Lord’s Daughter - Patricia C. Wrede (middle grade fantasy) - September 5 📘 

The Circumference of the World - Lavie Tidhar (slipstream) - September 5 ⭐️

Sleep No More - Seanan McGuire (urban fantasy) - September 9

The Undetectables - Courtney Smyth (urban fantasy) - September 26 🏳️‍🌈

Goth - Lol Tolhurst (cultural history/memoir) - September 26 📘

After the Forest - Kell Woods (historical fantasy) - October 3

Menewood - Nicola Griffith (historical fiction) - October 3 🏳️‍🌈 📘

While Idaho Slept - J. Reuben Appelman (true crime) - October 3

The Jinn-Bot of Shantiport - Samit Basu (science fiction) - October 3📘 ⭐️

Eve - Cat Bohannon (science/history) - October 3 📘

A Stroke of the Pen - Terry Pratchett (fantasy) - October 5

By Any Other Name - Erin Cotter (historical YA) - October 10 🏳️‍🌈📘

Being Ace - Madeline Dyer (YA nonfiction) - October 10 🏳️‍🌈📘

Under the Smokestrewn Sky - A. Deborah Baker (portal fantasy) - October 17

I Love Russia - Elena Kostyuchenko (journalism) - October 17 📘

Lay Them To Rest - Laurah Norton (true crime) - October 17 📘

The Innocent Sleep - Seanan McGuire (urban fantasy) - October 24

Emperor of Rome - Mary Beard (history) - October 24

The Bigfoot Queen - Jennifer Weiner (contemporary fantasy/middle grade) - October 24 📘

A Power Unbound - Freya Marske (historical fantasy) - November 7 🏳️‍🌈

In the Pines - Grace Elizabeth Hale (history) - November 7

All the Hidden Paths - Foz Meadows (fantasy romance) - December 5 🏳️‍🌈

Heartstopper, Vol. 5 - Alice Oseman (YA contemporary fiction) - December 12 🏳️‍🌈

Prescribed Burn - Arkady Martine (science fiction) - date unknown

[beautiful-songbird]

Hello! Hi! I see that you are an avid book reader and I am here to kindly ask for book reccomendation reccommendation recommendations. I at long last have some time to return to the wonderful world of reading and I very much long to hold a book in my hands and get lost, but alas I cannot find one that piques my interest. You look to have good taste and I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

Yours sincerely,

Snurt

P.S. <3333333

P.P.S. Why is "recommendation" so hard to spell?

Hello friend! You don’t know how happy seeing this made me! 😆

Be warned this is going to be a long post because I read a lot of books last year that I loved…so…yeah…

I feel like I need more to work with than just “give me a book rec” butttt 🤔 I suppose we can make this work

I mostly read fantasy but I assume you knew that since you follow me 🤨👀

(Unless mentioned otherwise these are all trilogies or duologies)

If you like puzzle games I’d definitely recommend The Inheritance Games 😌 I thoroughly enjoyed that trilogy and it made my puzzle mind go brrrr

As for fantasy, I have quite a few to recommend

If you’re into classic fae (as in…darker stories I suppose) I’d recommend The Cruel Prince and These Hollow Vows. They both have deeply romantic undertones but they’re more heavily focused on the politics that the stories revolve around.

*The Cruel Prince also has two novellas that go with it and a sister duology about the main girl’s younger brother, so if you’re looking for a world to get immersed in and keep reading, I’d seriously recommend reading that entire world.

If you’re looking for more whimsical fantasy I’d recommend Caraval and Once Upon a Broken Heart. They’re sister series that are semi-connected and they both have very immersive fairytale vibes. These two are heavy on the romance aspect but they also have great plots that carry them!

If you’re into low fantasy where there’s a bit of magical element in the plot but it’s not overwhelming, I’d recommend Six of Crows and Defy the Night. Both of these books have amazing plots but they focus more heavily on the relationships between the characters and how they trauma they’ve experienced has shaped their personalities. Six of Crows is a lot heavier of a read, so if you’re looking for something lighter, start with Defy the Night.

If you’re looking for fantasy that’s just a bit fun, I’d go with Assistant to the Villain. This book was very silly and fun while also dealing with serious topics. It was, however, to my dismay, a trilogy with only one book out…so…be warned.

If you’re into dragons and war colleges I’d recommend Fourth Wing, but keep in mind that this one has smut and lots of swearing. Despite the fact that this is one of my favorite books, I give this recommendation very loosely because of the content in it.

As for standalones, I have a few great recs:

- The Forgetting

A sci-fi (?) mystery about a city where everyone loses their memory every 12 years. Lovely characters and great plot.

- The Half-Life of Love

Absolute tragedy of a story that you know will end awfully from the start but you read it anyways and then sob your eyes out.

- Greymist Fair

A paranormal Brothers Grimm-esque collection of related stories. The town of Greymist Fair is very enchanting, and the way the stories all tie together is so much fun.

- The Stars We Steal

This was sci-fi and I read it in 2020 so honestly who knows what happened in it but I remember really enjoying it 🤷🏻‍♀️

If you want to see everything I read last year and my reviews of it all, you can go to my 2023 reading recap

I also have a short list of sappy modern romance novels if you’d like, so send me another ask if you want those too! This post is too long already 😆

P.S. I think recommendation is so hard to spell because it sounds like it should have multiple double letters…hence why I say “recs”.

P.P.S I love the way you type. Very eloquent and lovely use of words.

[bookaddict24-7]

(New Young Adult Releases Coming Out Today! (March 28th, 2023)

___

Have I missed any new Young Adult releases? Have you added any of these books to your TBR? Let me know!

___

New Standalones/First in a Series:

You Wouldn’t Dare by Samantha Markum 

Greymist Fair by Francesca Zappia

Girl Forgotten by April Henry

Last Sunrise in Eterna by Amparo Ortiz

A Door in the Dark by Scott Reintgen

In Nightfall by Suzanne Young 

Made of Stars by Jenna Voris

The Quiet & the Loud by Helena Fox

Wolfwood by Marianna Baer

Into the Light by Mark Oshiro

Stars & Smoke by Marie Lu

Spin by Rebecca Caprara

Chaos & Flame by Tessa Gratton & Justina Ireland

___

Happy reading!

[exeuntstormtroopers]

Happy Birthday, Greymist Fair! 🎉🎉🎉 . This book has been at least ten years in the making. It started with Duskwood in World of Warcraft, then an idea about children growing up in an isolated castle beset by wargs. Eventually, it became a retelling of lesser-known Grimm’s fairy tales and a message about love, death, and finding home. I think of this as a fairy tale for myself: dark but hopeful, gloomy but comforting, like sitting beside a fireplace, eating warm bread, and listening to stories while a snowstorm brews outside. . In you’re in Indy, join me tonight at 6pm at @bngreenwoodin, or on Saturday 4/1 at @fablesandfairytalesbookshop, to celebrate the book! . Welcome to the world, Greymist Fair! Readers, I hope you love this one. 🌲❄️🐺 #greymistfair #bookstagram #grimms #grimmsfairytales #fairytale #books #ya #yabooks #newrelease https://www.instagram.com/p/CqVVkUsL3eh/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[libertyreads]

February TBR--

February is going to be the month I TRY to force myself to stick to my reading goals. I failed spectacularly in January by reading 8 more books than I had on my TBR. God, this is so the opposite of a problem. But I will say that January had me reading such small books that reading never felt like a chore. So, trying to stay in that mindset, I’m also going to be reading some shorter stuff in February.

1. Make a Wish by Helena Hunting (Spark House #3)-- I’m so excited to get to the finale of this companion series. The Spark House series follows three sisters who run an event hotel in Colorado Springs. This time it’s the youngest sister’s turn at love. We follow Harley and the guy she used to nanny for when he and his daughter move back to town after 6 years away. Can they navigate this romance with so much baggage weighing them down?

2. The Magic Misfits by Neil Patrick Harris (The Magic Misfits #1)-- I got this at a library sale...last year? The year before? At some point. It ended up being 50 cents or something like that so I thought I would take a chance on it. This one is the first book in a Middle Grade series that follows a street magician named Carter who has to save the town of Mineral Wells from the clutches of Bosso and his crew of crooked carnies.

3. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith-- This is another book from the library sale. It was also super cheap so I decided to give it a shot. It’s a 2012 YA Romance so we’re going to tread lightly here and keep our expectations low. It seems like this one is set over a 24 hour period and both at an airport and in an airplane so that will be fun to watch play out.

4. The Ruin of Kings by Jenn Lyons (A Chorus of Dragons #1)-- Okay, so maybe this isn’t a shorter book, but I’ve heard too much hype. I have to read it. We follow Kihrin who is a bastard orphan who grew up loving stories about dragons, demons, gods, and heroes who always save the day. But when he’s claimed by a treasonous prince as his long-lost son, he learns the stories aren’t all true. He lives as a prisoner to his new family’s power plays and ambitions.  But let me give you my FAVORITE part of the synopsis: “Then again, maybe he’s not the hero, for Kihrin is not destined to save the empire. He’s destined to destroy it.” Let’s GOOOOOO. I’m trying not to give into the hype, but...come on. Come on.

5. Traitor’s Blade by Sebastien De Castell (Greatcoats #1)-- With this one, I’m continuing my 40 Books Before 40 TBR as well as my Kindle Clean Out Project. I didn’t know a ton about this one before I put it on the TBR. I got the recommendation from Jade/JadeyRaeReads on YouTube. This is an Adult Fantasy novel that follows the Greatcoats who were trained in the fighting arts and travel to uphold the King’s Law. Or at least they used to. Until they stood aside while the Dukes took the Kingdom and impaled their King’s head on a spike. The Greatcoats are scattered far and wide, reviled as traitors, their legendary coats in tatters. All they have left are the promises they made to King Paelis, to carry out one final mission.

6. Stars and Smoke by Marie Lu (Stars and Smoke #1)-- I have to say that I am SO lucky to have an ARC of this one. I really didn’t expect to get it when I put in the request on NetGalley. I’m trying to decide if I read it as soon as possible or if I wait and savor it at the end of the month. I’m going to keep the synopsis SO BRIEF to go into this knowing as little as I can. This one follows a superstar who has been tapped to become a secret agent and the reluctant young spy assigned to be his partner. I’m literally squealing over here. Shut your whole face. I don’t know exact what genre this story is going to lean into since GoodReads has it marked as a YA Romance/Contemporary/Mystery/Fantasy, but I’m here for it.

7. Greymist Fair by Francesca Zappia-- Another NetGalley ARC for this month. I’m also excited to get to this one. It’s slated as a suspenseful and inventive murder-mystery inspired by lesser-known Grimm fairytales. As someone who has read the whole of the Brother’s Grimm’s fairytales, I’m beyond psyched for this one. I’ll give you the brief synopsis from the top of the Goodreads page for this book: “The People of Greyfair Known that the woods are a dangerous and magical place, and that they should never set foot off the road. But when a young tailor discovers a body on the road, her search for the culprit reveals even more strange and dark happenings around her town.” Is this the right time of year for this sort of book? Depends on who you ask. Me? I’m always down for something good and dark.

[haveamagicalday]

Books read in 2023

Here is a list/short reviews of the books I read in 2023! My top ten can be found here.

4 Stars

All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham - A year prior to the start of our story, Isabelle's beloved toddler was stolen in the night while she and her husband slept. Since then, Isabelle rarely sleeps and won't rest until her son is found. When a podcaster comes to town looking to interview her about the case, Isabelle sees this as a chance to dig up new clues that may lead her to her son. This is a great follow up to Willingham's debut and I loved the setting and overall vibes of the book.

Delicate Condition by Danielle Valentine- What's interesting about this book is it was released about a month before American Horror Story premiered their season that is based on it. So I don't know if it was commissioned to be written for that purpose or if Ryan Murphy got wind of it prior and sought to make the adaptation or what. I have not seen the new season and I've heard it isn't that good but I really ended up liking this book! Anna is a young actress determined to have a baby. After many rounds of IVF it finally happens. But then tragedy strikes and Anna miscarries the baby, or so she is told. She can still feel the baby inside her and the doctor's confusing answers and explanations are just a further mystery to the phenomenon. As her miracle pregnancy goes along, threats to her safety and strange instances  build up to a shocking conclusion. I was expecting it to be kind of silly but it was an engaging read with a surprisingly happy ending. It did not go in the direction I thought it would and I was pleasantly surprised by that. Would not recommend it if you are pregnant or trying to be though.

The Ghosts of Rose Hill by R.M Romero- Illana, a biracial Jewish girl, is sent to Prague to live with her aunt for the summer. Illana discovers a Jewish cemetery behind her aunt's house where she meets the ghost of a long dead boy, named Benjamin. The two become friends but their happiness is threatened by a mysterious man with no shadow that also takes a keen interest in Illana. Written in prose, this is a hauntingly beautiful fairytale.

Greymist Fair by Francesca Zappia- I didn't realize going in that this would be divided up into a collection of short stories rather than a linear story. However the stories are all connected and often explain things that may have happened in the previous stories and there is a conclusion at the end. I really enjoyed the take on some of these lesser known fairy tales. My favorite was Doctor Death and the Prince's Riddle.

I Will Find You Again by Sarah Lyu- This is Lyu's second book and I have to say that she does toxic relationships really well. Both of her books have a mystery to be solved but they both read more like a character study and deep dive into a tumultuous relationship that the MC has. Chase and Lia are best friends that are estranged but when Lia goes missing, Chase's world is turned upside down as she follows a trail of secrets and betrayals to find out the truth of what happened.

The Legacies by Jessica Goodman- Another fun teen thriller from Goodman! Eight students from a prestigious prep school are selected to join New York City's exclusive Legacy Club. But tensions rise the week leading up to their induction Ball leading to a shocking death. There are moments you have to suspend your disbelief but that doesn't take away from the story. My only complaint is that it is told in first person with three different narratives and at times they don't sound much different from one another. I still flew through this one and look forward to the next book from Goodman!

Lying in the Deep by Diana Urban- Jade is off on the adventure of a lifetime, a semester at sea visiting 11 different countries. But the presence of her ex boyfriend, now dating her ex best friend, leads to an obsession which spirals until a shocking murder takes place. Now Jade must clear her name and try to stop the killer from murdering again. I honestly enjoyed this way more than I thought I would. It was a page turner that was a lot of fun. I read after that it is apparently a loose retelling of Death on the Nile but for me it felt like murderous version of Suite Life on Deck lol

The Narrow by Kate Alice Marshall- Eden attends a boarding school haunted by a river that takes all who fall in. All but Delphine who fell in six years prior and somehow survived. Now Delphine lives isolated in quarantine for a mysterious illness and Eden is tasked with being her companion. But the more time Eden spends with Delphine, the more she feels haunted by a dark presence. This was a very engrossing ghost story with some gothic vibes. There was a sweet love story and I loved the complexity of Eden and her relationships with her friends. There were a few creepy twists throughout but the most interesting aspects were the human relationships, especially between Eden and Delphine. A real fun spooky read!

Out of the Ashes by Kara Thomas- This is going to sound bad but I really don't remember this book but I gave it 4 stars so I guess I enjoyed it. This is Thomas's first Adult novel and focuses on Samantha, whose home was burned down and her entire family murdered years prior. However, renewed interest in the cold case reveals the shocking revelation that Samantha's baby sister may have made it out alive. This turns Samantha's world upside down as she desperately seeks answers. I do remember the ending of this and it was pretty satisfying

Royal Blood by Aimee Carter- Evan is the secret illegitimate daughter of the King of England in an alternate history. Circumstances force Evan to spend the summer with the father she never met before and her secret is quickly found out. What was supposed to be a fun night out with her half sister and others turns deadly and Evan finds herself the main suspect. This is another book I enjoyed more than I thought I would. It's like the Princess Diaries if it were a thriller. I also love that despite being a series, the mystery and storyline was wrapped up in the end

The Sandman by ETA Hoffman- I had no idea the ballet Coppelia was based on this! The ballet is so cutesy and this is so dark and creepy. I would love to see a version of Coppelia that followed The Sandman more closely.

Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher- This is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty that tells the tale of Toadling, the fairy that was sent to bless the princess on her birth. Now that the princess is asleep, Toadling guards the tower but in a shocking twist, she is determined to keep everyone out of it. A fun and interesting take on a classic fairy tale!

The Villa by Rachel Hawkins- This is an interesting retelling based not on Frankenstein, but the story behind the novel's creation. Emily and Chess are two friends that are spending the summer in Italy at a beautiful Villa. The Villa just happens to be the same place that famed rock star Noel Gordon spent a summer in 1974. Along with Noel is Pierce Sheldon (an up and coming rock star), his girlfriend Mari, and her stepsister Lara. The summer turns deadly for the group which inspires Mari to write a prolific horror novel and then disappear from the limelight for the rest of her life. Now Emily is determined to discover what really happened that summer by using clues from Mari's novel. This was a really fun read and while the big mystery was honestly not that solid, the characters and unique premise were interesting enough to hold the plot.

3.5 Stars

Mister Magic by Kiersten White- A mystery children's show called Mister Magic was canceled and nearly erased from history 30 years prior to the start of the novel. Val was a child actor on the show but has no memory of it. When her fellow castmates find her, they bring her along for a reunion which is bound to expose dark secrets along the way. So, this had to be partly inspired by Candle Cove, no? I really enjoy all things to do with lost media and was super excited when I read the blurb for this book! For the most part, I think it lived up to expectations. The ending wasn't a let down but it did leave me wanting more. There was also an reveal about two thirds of the way through which I wish would have been made sooner. It wasn't really a twist or anything but it did add a lot of context that could have been used earlier. Otherwise it just felt really thrown in at the end.

The Night Shift by Alex Finlay- At the end of 1999, four teens are attacked during their shift at a Blockbuster. Only one survives and the killer is never found. Now it is 15 years later and a similar crime takes place at an Ice Cream parlor. A solid thriller.

The Quarantine Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot- A welcomed return to the diaries of Princess Mia. This was a fun read but it was also kind of tough to read about people dealing with the beginning of the pandemic. Not the best of memories to be honest.

Where He Can't Find You by Darcy Coates- When I started this I was expecting more of a mystery/thriller based on the blurb but it became apparent pretty quickly that this is a supernatural horror novel instead. A small Midwest town is haunted by a mysterious figure known as the stitcher. When someone goes missing, the town knows that there is no hope of ever finding them until the stitcher wants them to. And they'll always find them in pieces. When Abby's younger sister goes missing she is determined to find her no matter the cost. It becomes a race against the clock to find her with the help of Abby's friends. This was very reminiscent of horror like It or Stranger Things. TW: Body Horror, Gore

You Can Trust Me by Wendy Heard- I flew through this one but in retrospect, it was very cheesy and what I would deem a Fast Food Thriller. Fun, but you really have to dispense your disbelief throughout. Summer and Leo are best friends who swindle and pickpocket. Leo makes the mistake of going after a self made millionaire and when he offers her the chance to visit his exclusive island, she jumps at the chance. When Leo doesn't return, Summer is determined to infiltrate the island to get her friend back.

3 Stars

The Blackhouse by Carole Johnstone- I loved Johnstone's Mirrorland but this one was a let down in comparison. The book takes place in a small island town and I could not keep all of the townspeople straight. Plus the mystery just wasn't that interesting and it dragged in a lot of places.

Episode Thirteen by Craig DiLouie - A ghost hunting reality tv crew decides to make their thirteenth episode about the infamous Paranormal Research Foundation. Written as journal entries and transcripts, things get creepy real quick for the crew. I felt like this book started off strong but faded as it went along. I was not a fan of the last third but recognize that others might like the direction it went.

Loved by PC Cast- The first book in the Night of House sequel series. I decided to read this because the tumblr blog: @houseofzoey was making me feel nostalgic. It was not good but it was fun to revisit the characters and world. As always, the stakes are high but the conflict is resolved ridiculously easy. Zoey continues to be one of the worst characters in existence but the others are enjoyable in a dumb way.

Lullabies for Little Criminals by Heather O'Neill - This was kind of a tough one to get through. I love the author's later work and this had the same style of writing but felt lacking in comparison. I found both The Lonely Hearts Hotel and When We Lost Our Heads oddly whimsical despite the heavy subject matter but this was definitely just bleakness with no hope in sight TW: Child Abuse/Neglect, Pedophilia, Drugs/Alcohol

Midnight is the Darkest Hour by Ashley Winstead- Ruth is the preacher's daughter in a small southern town. Ruth's only friend as a teen was the bad boy Everett who she was bonded to with a dark secret. Now as adults, bodies are being found in the swamp and Ruth and Everett want to get to the bottom of things. This book had such a great premise but did not deliver. The religious town is portrayed as cult-like but the messaging behind this book was confused and all over the place. We are clearly supposed to root for Ruth and Everett but by the end of the book, I wasn't rooting for them either. Also there are way too many references to Twilight. At one point Ruth seriously thinks that Everett is a vampire and I don't know if that was just to be funny or if we were actually supposed to believe that as well.

Nothing but Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw- People on Goodreads hated this. It has one of the lowest ratings I've ever seen and I really don't think it deserves that. It's not the best but it's not that bad. A lot of people were bothered by the "purple prose" but I didn't mind it (I also hate that phrase). However, it was somewhat confusing and anticlimactic.

Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno Garcia- Garcia's last few books since Mexican Gothic have been really disappointing to me. I was expecting a lot of spooks with the cursed film premise but there really wasn't much of it. When we finally did get some magic towards the end it was pretty cheesy. Neither of the characters were really likable and the ending with them was weird. Overall not my favorite of Moreno-Garcia's but also not the worst.

This is Why We Lie by Gabriella Lepore- I'm going to be honest, this was one of my first reads of 2023 and I don't remember a single detail. Two teens find a body in the lake and mystery ensues!

To Make Monsters Out of Girls by Amanda Lovelace- This was not my favorite of Lovelace's. I'm starting to notice she writes a lot of her poetry based on a past relationship and at this point it's like, girl move on!

We'll Never Tell by Wendy Heard- Another book I really don't remember. The official blurb describes it as a whodunit doused in Hollywood lore. I remember it being a fun little read but apparently not that memorable.

Winterset Hollow by Jonathan Edward Durham- The idea behind this was really fascinating but it lost its appeal one third of the way through. Three friends visit the island that an author wrote and based a children's book on in a similar vein to Watership Down or The Wind in the Willows. To their surprise, the characters in their beloved book are real and they want their visitors to celebrate the famed Harvest Day with them. Pretty quickly things fall apart and the majority of the book is the characters being hunted and it got old pretty fast. There were definitely parallels and themes of colonization but the colonized and mistreated characters were also the villains seeking revenge so... make of that what you will

Wolfpack by Amelia Brunskill- Written in prose this book is about nine girls who live together in a cult commune. It was a very quick read but nothing really happened. One of the girl's goes missing and the rest of the book is trying to figure out what happened. The book's biggest problem is that it's told from 8 different perspectives and they all blend together. When the reveal comes at the end it leaves little impact because we don't know or care about these characters.

2 Stars

Daphne by Josh Malerman- Daphne is a local boogeyman. A seven foot tall, denim clad woman who always has her face painted like Gene Simmons. That image alone was too ridiculous for me. Kit is a teen on the basketball team whose teammates start disappearing one by one. She believes Daphne is the culprit. The book was more so a metaphor for mental health struggles but it was just too silly and boring for me to enjoy. I couldn't picture any of the scary stuff that was happening very well and people seemed to under react to a lot of things. Plus I learned way too much about basketball.

Unrated

The Little Book of Manifestation by Astrid Carvel- I was going through it when I read this lol. Whether you believe that you can actually manifest things in your life or not, I do think positive thinking goes a long way and this was a nice little reminder of that.

Brother by Ania Ahlborn - Just a big bummer all around. I read this in one sitting but looking back some of it was kind of boring? The book was much tamer than how it was advertised to me. Don't get me wrong, there was a lot of implied gore and horror but we didn't see much of it. To give some background, the main character lives out in the Appalachians with his murderous family. He helps kidnap women, the mother tortures them and then they eat them. With a premise like that you think this would be horrifying. We are given very little backstory as to why they do this. Well, it turns out to be rather boring as Michael (our lead) spends most of the book feeling sorry for himself and trying to woo a girl at the record shop. He also has a tumultuous relationship with his abusive older brother, who he fears but craves approval from. Not much happens for the majority of the book and then we have an explosive ending in the last 1/3rd. And it's just a huge bummer. TW: Rape, Murder, Gore, Cannibalism, Attempted Incest, Abuse

Not Since Carrie: Forty Years of Broadway Flops by Ken Mandelbaum - A look into Broadway flops over the past 40 years. The flops are categorized oddly and usually there is only a page or two dedicate to each one which made it really repetitive. I think would have preferred a detailed deep dive into maybe 10 or so Broadway flops.

Slenderman: Online Obsession, Mental Illness, and the Violent Crime of Two Midwestern Girls by Kathleen Hale - This book doesn't focus so much on the crime but the aftermath. For those who don't know, Morgan and Anissa, two preteen girls, stabbed their friend (who lived) in an attempted sacrifice to please the popular Creepypasta character, Slenderman. Of course, all the coverage of this case focused on Slenderman and the dangerous of the internet but really this is a case of severe mental illness that went untreated for a long time. Anissa did the stabbing but ultimately it was Morgan that concocted the whole plan. Morgan showed signs of schizophrenia (a disorder her father was also diagnosed with) at a young age but this was ignored by the adults in her life. After the crime took place, Morgan was denied any kind of treatment or medication during her time in prison prior to her sentencing. Morgan was left to live in her delusions and hallucinations for over a year before she was finally given help. In a harrowing section of the book, Morgan describes "waking up" from her psychosis only to be flung into a nightmare where she had committed a terrible crime against her friend. No where am I saying that Morgan does not deserve the prison time she was given but the prison system's treatment of mental health was really highlighted here and was horrifying to read about.

[thehobbitwithstickyuppyhair]

The Mid Year Reading Challenge!

Thanks for the open tag @thereadingchallengechallenge !

1. Best book you've read so far - The Magician's Daughter by H. G. Parry

2. Best sequel you've read so far - Drowned Country by Emily Tesh

3. New release you haven't read yet but want to - Finally got The Crane Husband by Kelly Barnhill from the library! So will hopefully read it soon.

4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year - NEW MURDERBOT!! Ahem, that is, System Collapse by Martha Wells!

5. Biggest disappointment - I am struggling through Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi: Into the Void by Tim Lebbon. I want to like it so much more than I currently am :(( I also had a really hard time getting through Gilded by Marissa Meyer which made me really sad :((

6. Biggest surprise - Enter the Body by Joy McCullough

7. Favorite new author - Not a new to me author but I am finally reading more of Diana Wynne Jones outside of rereading Howl's Moving Castle again and again and I adore her work. I also want to read H.G. Parry's and Emily Tesh's other works as well, as I feel they could both become a favorite.

8. Newest fictional crush - I don't develop crushes easily, but I may have a light crush on Smertae from Toil and Trouble by Mairghread Scott and Kelly Matthews

9. Newest favorite character - Rowan from The Magician's Daughter. Could also maybe put him under the light crush list I suppose. I love a good disaster magic user 😅

10. Book that made you cry - The Magician's Daughter got me choked up really unexpectedly. Also I don't think I cried, but Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin was oof, what a devastating punch in the gut.

11. A book that made you happy - Greymist Fair by Francesca Zappia was SUCH a delightful retelling of several fairy tales that never get retold and that made me incredibly happy.

12. Favorite adaptation - Re: Dracula is a fully acted audio drama of Dracula in the style of Dracula Daily, and it is SO GOOD.

13. Prettiest cover - The Herbwitch Princess by Ireen Chau is just gorgeous.

14. A book you need to read by the end of the year - This WILL be the year I read Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, I SWEAR. Also will read Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir but I keep waiting to see if there's a release date for Alecto yet 😅

Tagging @simuran @captaincrais @ophidiae @tuulikki and anyone else who would like to play along! (And no worries if I tagged you and you don't want to, please ignore lol)

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 5/5

Book Blurb: The villagers of Greymist Fair know that the woods are a dangerous and magical place, and that they should never set foot off the road. But when a young tailor discovers a body, her search for the culprit reveals even more strange and dark happenings around her town.

From acclaimed author Francesca Zappia, Greymist Fair is a suspenseful and inventive murder-mystery infused with magic and inspired by the lesser-known fairytales of the Brothers Grimm.Two roads lead into a dark forest. They meet at Greymist Fair, the village hidden in the trees, a place kept alive by the families that never leave. The people of Greymist Fair know the woods are a dangerous and magical place, and to set foot off the road is to invite trouble.When Heike, the village’s young tailor, discovers a body on the road, she goes looking for who is responsible. But her quest only leads to more strange happenings around Greymist Fair.Inspired by the original, bloody, lesser-known fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm, acclaimed author Francesca Zappia crafts an enthralling murder-mystery that will keep readers turning the pages. Told from multiple points of view, with each narrative building on the crime discovered by Heike, Greymist Fair examines the themes of childhood fears, growing into adult responsibilities, and finding a place to call home amid the trials of life and death.Features chapter decorations by the author throughout, as well as a map.

Review:

In a village in the woods... the people live in fear of Death that surrounds them. In this village everyone knows that the woods are dangerous and that if you enter them you’ll likely be killed by the witch who lives there. When a young tailor Heike discovers a body on the road she decides to figure who is responsible, and on her quest to find out who is responsible and what is happening to her town the more she’ll be embroiled in magic, mystery, and death. This was such a fun and great read, it is a magical story inspired by the lesser-known fairytales of the brothers Grimm and definitely is perfect for people who love to read fairytales, the story is told in such a unique way. The story is told in parts and through different characters perspective, both past and present, and it all connects, and there is an element of magic to all of them. This is the perfect read for fairytale lovers who enjoy a bit of mystery too! 

*Thanks Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books, Greenwillow Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*