#man I love intisar

[needmemberwolfboi]

finally beat wither messenger floor 110. the void messenger was significantly easier.

[trashmouth-toastzier]

oi oi hello it was gay month and i had changed the layout of my tumblr for the first time since i created it :)!! then i drafted this post and only just found it now lol

decided to introduce myself a little and make a list of the non-male characters i like since my bio is a list of the fictional men i like >:)

hi im jules (u can also call me volantis), im 23 and im a non binary lesbian, i use they/them pronouns (and iel/yel in french), im british-french 😔✊ and i also speak some german

here are some of my favourite non-men!!!! (any characters who don't use he/him and/or identify as men) fictional characters:

genshin-> keqing, yanfei, klee, yoimiya, hu tao, shen he, yae miko, qiqi, xinyan, mona, lumine, arlecchino, beidou, collei, diona, dehya, faruzan, fischl, lisa, kujou sara, nahida, ningguang, xiangling

honkai star rail-> hook, natasha, bailu, seele, march 7th, herta, jingyun, kafka

honkai impact-> herrscher of sentience

mha-> himiko toga, mina, mei, ragdoll

proseka/vocaloid-> tenma saki, gumi, kagamine rin, hinomori shizuku, shiraishi an, yoisaki kanade, shininome ena, mayu, seeu, kaai yuki

magnus chase/percy jackson-> alex fierro, hazel levesque, piper mcclean

great pretender-> cynthia moore, abby jones

professor layton-> katrielle layton, flora reinhold, lucy baker, goldie potsby-mahn

love live-> tsushima yohane, yazawa nico, arashi chisato, emma verde, hanamaru kunikida, haruka konoe, kanata konoe, nakasu kasumi, tang keke, minami kotori, ohara mari, yoneme mei, mia taylor, tojo nozomi, tennoji rina, kazuna sarah, heanna sumire, watanabe you, ranpha, shirase koyuki, shitara fumi, kirihara yuuka, miyashita coco, hasekura kasane, kikkawa mizuki, tanaka sachiko, saeki reine, nishimura fumie

homestuck :') -> terezi pyrope, latula pyrope, rose lalonde, kanaya maryam, nepeta lejion, meulin lejion, roxy lalonde, calliope

tokyo mew mew-> aizawa minto, huang bu-ling

little witch academia-> diana cavendish, constanze albrechtsburger

bungou stray dogs-> yosano akiko, lucy montgomery

vanitas no carte-> dominique de sade, chloé apchier, amelia

black butler-> meyrin

pandora hearts-> alice, sharon rainsworth

vampire princess miyu-> miyu

tangled the series-> cassandra

it-> bev marsh

ensemble stars-> anzu, narukami arashi

x-men-> kitty pryde, rogue, mystique, emma frost, jubilation lee, polaris (lorna dane)

moomin-> little my, snorkmaiden

saiki k-> mikoto aiura, imu rifuta

dyslite-> feng nuxi, bai liuli, camille, catherine, yuuhime, discboom, elaine, heng yue, intisar, jiang man, li guang, mona, lin xiao, ye suhua

taz-> lup taaco, aubrey little, dani, lydia, lucretia, N0-3113, irene baker, gandy dancer

the raven boys-> blue sargent

pokemon-> jessie, lillie, blanche, acerola, mina, plumeria, klara, marnie, melony, nessa, sonia, opal, iono, nemona, tulip, mela

yuukoku no moriarty-> miss hudson

the magnus archives-> basira hussain, george barker, helen richardson, melanie king, jane prentiss, nikola orsinov, sasha james

teen titans-> raven, starfire, terra, jinx, bumblebee

bee and puppycat-> bee, cas wizard, toast

stranger things-> max, robin, erica

cookie run-> latte, strawberry crepe, scorpion, hydrangea, snow sugar, bellflower, black garlic, spinach, captain ice, snake fruit, kumiho, starfruit, moon rabbit, lychee dragon, pond dino, angel, black pearl, oyster, sea fairy, moonlight, pumpkin pie, cotton, cream puff, pinecone, milky way

idolm@ster-> hoshii miki, kikuchi makoto, takatsuki yayoi

etc... cause if not we'll be here for years (watch me add more when i think of them)

[redheadgleek]

4th Quarter reading (October through December)

October: Turtles All the Way Down by John Green - I really enjoyed this book. I liked the main character and her OCD was believable. Beguiled by Cyla Panin. This book didn't know what it wanted to be and it showed. Disappointing. Huntress by Malina Lo. I have no recollection for reading Ash, although I remember that I liked it, so I couldn't tell you how this was a prequel, but it was a good book. Hopefully I'll remember it in a few years. The Fox by Malinda Lo. Attached to Huntress. Should have just been deleted. A Darkness At The Door by Intisar Khanani. I really liked this series (which really was one book followed by a duology), well developed world and characters. Karamo: My Story of Embracing Purpose, Healing, and Hope by Karamo Brown. My favorite of the Fab Five. I found this to be meh. (The fact that there was entire chapters devoted to his fiance who he broke up with about 6 months after this was published was a little *wince* Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree. A truly fun, cozy fantasy book. Thoroughly enjoyed this one. Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk. A book club book. Dragged a bit, but certainly made me think about nature and borders. The Nobleman's Guide to Scandal and Shipwrecks by Mackenzie Lee. A good conclusion to the trilogy (the second book was the best). Fic: Why Fanfiction Is Taking Over the World by Anne Jamison. Started reading this in 2014 and never finished. It was already dated. I would have really liked taking a college class from her. Corinne by Rebecca Morrow. I read this because there was a rumor that it was written by Stephenie Meyer. I don't think it was (but I wouldn't be surprised if it was Rainbow Rowell). It was so terribly cheesy and entirely relatable. The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting by K.J. Charles. I... did not realize when I first picked this book up that it was just a very smutty romance novel. I wanted more plot than what I was given. (Books need AO3 tags and ratings!) The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun. Truly charming.

November: Almost Like Being in Love by Steve Kluger. I think @constantcompanion told me that it was one of her favorites. Don't read this one as an ebook, the letters do not translate. The ending was unconventional. Tanqueray by Stephanie Johnson. The Humans of New York photo essay was better. The Gentleman’s Guide to Getting Lucky by Mackenzie Lee. Another one that I started reading years ago after reading Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue. It was just meh. Dracula Daily by Bram Stoker. I had never read Dracula. Tumblr made it a much more enjoyable experience than the novel itself. The Fellowship of the Ring by JRR Tolkien (audiobook read by Andy Serkis). Andy Serkis's voice is so good (except as Galadriel) and really made this an immersive experience. The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle by Matt Cain. Truly delightful about an older man facing retiring and reexamining his life in the closet. The cross-generational friendship were the best. Demon in the Wood by Leigh Bardago. The drawings were beautiful, the story was short. Stardust by Neil Gaiman. Needed to be longer. The Guncle by Steven Rowley. I loved this book - there are not enough books dedicated to childless adults and their relationships with the niblings. The Two Towers by JRR Tolkien (read aloud by Andy Serkis). Long car trip to Utah meant plenty of time for listening to books. Eowyn's voice wasn't much better than Galadriel's, but the rest was excellent. Scattered Showers by Rainbow Rowell. Too many republished stories. 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff. Delightful correspondence. I can see why it's beloved. Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble by Alexis Hall. This book suffered because it was the third or fourth book that I read with a anxious/OCD protagonist and it's just becoming the trope of the month.

December: Brambles by Intisar Khanani. The prequel to Thorn. A nice introduction but you really didn't need it. Brokeback Mountain by Annie Proulx. Have never seen the movie. Didn't really like the characters. Writing was lovely, but I don't know that that Wyoming really ever existed. A Marvellous Light by Freye Marske. A reread. Just as delightful as the first time. A Restless Truth by Freye Marske. Not quite as good as AML and the romance wasn't as engaging. I'm excited for the concluding book though. Illuminations by T. Kingfisher. I just love every word she writes. Call Us What We Carry by Amanda Gorman. Some truly excellent poetry in this collection. I'm going to buy the book. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens as part of a daily email. Not as much tumblr discussion. The Lightning Thief by Percy Jackson. My nephew's favorite books right now and I realized I've never read. A fun romp. Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore. Another book that I was cleaning out from my "started reading years ago but never finished." Enjoyable, but I don't really enjoy potty humor so I think I was the wrong audience.

Currently reading: Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present by Harriet Washington. It's a great book but it's so heavy that I can only read a chapter at a time. The White Allies Handbook: 4 Weeks to Join the Racial Justice Fight for Black Women by Lecia Michelle. I was really hoping for a Antiracism 202 kind of book and this isn't quite that. I might finish this one by tonight.

I gave up on Great Expectations, Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde, and Moby Dick as emails since nobody else on tumblr seems to be reading those.

[elusivemellifluence]

I'd heard good things about Avi Cantor Has Six Months to Live but didn't realise it was free online, so yay

Some more diverse SFF novella recs:

The Binti series by Nnedi Okorafor - deadly (misunderstood) aliens attack a ship en route to space university

Stone & Steel by Eboni J. Dunbar - a sapphic general returns from war and makes some concerning discoveries about the queen she's been so loyal to

Finna by Nino Cipri - following your ex into the multitude of alternate dimensions that can be accessed from every Ikea store

The Dead Djinn series by P. Djèlí Clark - steampunk with magic, ghosts and djinn in 1910s Cairo, featuring a lesbian detective. There's two novellas and a short story before the first full length novel

Rupert Wong, Cannibal Chef by Cassandra Khaw - a man sells himself into service of the Chinese hells and makes a living as a chef preparing human flesh for ghouls, much funnier than it sounds when I say it like that

Fireheart Tiger by Aliette de Bodard - Vietnamese fantasy with royalty, intrigue and sapphic romance

The Xuya universe by Aliette de Bodard - Vietnamese scifi with empires and sentient starships

The Singing Hills cycle by Nghi Vo - a wandering nonbinary cleric travels around collecting stories

The Murders of Molly Southbourne by Tade Thompson - horror where every drop of Molly's blood spawns doubles who inevitably try to kill her

Sunbolt by Intisar Khanani - ya fantasy about a street thief turned underground rebel with untrained magic

The Route of Ice and Salt by José Luis Zárate - the tragic gay story of the captain whose crew Dracula preyed on during his voyage to England

Catching Teller Crow by Ambelin Kwaymullina - Indigenous Australian fantasy about a teenage ghost trying to support her father through his grief and help him solve mysteries

The Past Is Red by Catherynne M. Valente - post-apocalyptic science fiction about a girl living in a civilization built on a floating mass of garbage

The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected In Water by Zen Cho - described as fix-it fanfic for an imaginary 50 episode wuxia series

A Taste of Honey by Kai Ashante Wilson -scifi fantasy about a gay prince being pressured into marrying a powerful woman but falling in love with a foreign soldier

The Deep by Rivers Solomon - a civilization of merfolk born from Africans thrown overboard by slavers

Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey - queer librarian spies on horseback in a scifi Western setting

Deadline by Stephanie Ahn - urban fantasy with a lesbian private detective who draws on BDSM for magical powers

The Four Profound Weaves by R.B. Lemberg - queer trans fantasy with fairy tale vibes about carpet weaving as a form of magic

Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark - horror set in 1910s America with the Klan as literal monsters

I've been reading a lot of novellas like Mira Grant's stand-alones, Wayward Children, Murderbot, Monk and Robot. but i'd love to read more like this but I need help finding more diverse reads like this. I'm finding (and reading) tons of books with this vibe that are full length novels but sometimes i just want a quick fantasy read, ya know?

[annerbhp]

What are some of your favorite books? I'm trying to find new things to read that aren't too heavy, and I would totally trust your judgment.

I’m not sure what you mean by ‘not to heavy’, length, content, angst, etc. But here’s some of my favorite books! (I tried to dig back through my kindle library which only served to remind me that there are a million books on there that I haven’t read yet. I haven’t been spending a lot of time reading lately, I have to confess.)

The Queen’s Thief Series by Megan Whalen Turner Perhaps my fave set of books ever. I love them so much. Some of my favorite characters too.

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik For those of you who love fairy tales but appreciate a cunning female lead willing to do whatever she has to, and outwit everyone along the way.

Thorn by Intisar Khanani Lovely re-imagining of a fairy tale in new ways. Very fun take on the body!swap trope. There will apparently be more books at some point too!

The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig Time travel with a new spin! There is a second book too, but I haven’t had a chance to read it yet. 

My fave, go to old fashioned romance novel:

Saving Grace by Julie Garwood This one just never fails to amuse me. Is it formulaic? Yes. Do I care? No. The sass in this one is so strong I can’t even.

For a fun murder-mystery/romance romp:

Silent in the Grave, Silent in the Sanctuary, and Silent on the Moor by Deanna Raybourn These are fun with a main character coming into herself and a sparking chemistry with a dark, brooding man. They get less fun after the third book.

Sebastian St Cyr Series (starts with What the Devil Knows) by C.S. Harris These are murder mysteries, but with some background female characters and background romance that I adored watching unfold. A bit darker than the above books with some gritty conent, but still quick reads. Very good for the first nine books. (I am all about the character/relationship arc from book 4-9.)

Heavier (longer and with some more adult themes) but some of my favorites of all time:

Hild by Nicola Griffith

I also adore the series of books that start with Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier, though it’s been a while since I did a re-read.

Heavy content, but still amazing:

Silence of the Girls by Pat Baker A brutal, lyrical re-telling of the battle of Troy from the women’s point of view.

[francesderwent]

I think my book total for the year was one hundred and twenty-four. I’m absolutely tickled pink.

the book list, with the most recent at the top and recommendations marked by an asterisk, is below the cut:

*Thomas Aquinas, and What I Saw In America, G.K. Chesterton *White Cat and Red Glove, Holly Black *Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, Susanna Clarke *Sunshine, Robin McKinley How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories, Holly Black *The Hawthorne Legacy, Jennifer Lynn Barnes *The Last Graduate, Naomi Novik *The Man in the Queue, Josephine Tey In the Last Analysis, Amanda Cross *The Seer and the Sword, Victoria Hanley Eleanor & Park, Rainbow Rowell Call Down the Hawk and Mr. Impossible, Maggie Stiefvater The Box in the Woods, Maureen Johnson *Gaudy Night, Dorothy Sayers The Box in the Woods, Maureen Johnson *Something New, P.G. Wodehouse *The Witness for the Dead, Katherine Addison Not Like the Movies, Kerry Winfrey *A Deadly Education, Naomi Novik *Frederica, Georgette Heyer *Heretics, G.K. Chesterton *Crocodile on the Sandbank, Elizabeth Peters *Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses, Kristen O'Neal Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, Douglas Adams *The Blatchford Controversies, G.K. Chesterton *The Collected Works of G.K. Chesterton Volume V: The Outline of Sanity, The Appetite of Tyranny, The Crimes of England, The End of the Armistice, Utopia of Usurers Never Let Me Go, Kazuo Ishiguro *Would Like To Meet, Rachel Winters *The Nine Tailors, Dorothy Sayers The City of Brass, S.A. Chakraborty *Brat Farrar, Josephine Tey Big Summer, Jennifer Weiner *The Ordinary Princess, M.M. Kaye Princess of Thorns, Stacey Jay Well Met, Jen DeLuca The Unexpected Everything, Morgan Matson *The Abolition of Man, C.S. Lewis *Black Sheep, Georgette Heyer Strange Practice, Vivian Shaw *The Collected Works of G.K. Chesterton Volume III: Where All Roads Lead, The Catholic Church and Conversion, Why I Am A Catholic, The Thing: Why I Am A Catholic, The Well and the Shallows, The Way of the Cross *Murder Must Advertise, by Dorothy Sayers *Garment of Shadows, by Laurie King *Renegades, Archenemies, and *Supernova, by Marissa Meyer *The Fixer and *The Long Game, Jennifer Lynn Barnes How the Multiverse Got Its Revenge, K. Eason American Primitive, Mary Oliver *Have His Carcase, Dorothy Sayers *The Martian, Andy Weir *The Theft of Sunlight, Intisar Khanani *The Switch, Beth O'Leary *A Scholar of Magics, Caroline Stevermer Magic for Liars, Sarah Gailey *Bath Tangle, Georgette Heyer *A Wizard of Earthsea, Ursula K. Le Guin The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, Abbi Waxman The Lovely and the Lost, Jennifer Lynn Barnes *The Great Divorce, C.S. Lewis Moon Over Soho, Ben Aaronovitch The Five Red Herrings, Dorothy Sayers *How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse, K. Eason *The Silence of St. Thomas, Josef Pieper Tiny Pretty Things, Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton *A Thousand Mornings and *Felicity, by Mary Oliver *Eugenics and Other Evils, G.K. Chesterton *Thorn, Intisar Khanani Midnight Riot, Ben Aaronovitch *The Night Country, Melissa Albert *Regency Buck, Georgette Heyer *If These Wings Could Fly, Kyrie McCauley *Pirate King, Laurie R King The Unhoneymooners, Christina Lauren *Strong Poison, Dorothy Sayers *A College of Magics, Caroline Stevermer *Therese, Dorothy Day *Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour, Morgan Matson Killer Instinct, *All In, and Bad Blood, Jennifer Lynn Barnes *The Superstition of Divorce, G.K. Chesterton *Northanger Abbey, Jane Austen *The Grand Sophy, Georgette Heyer *The Lost Husband, Katherine Center *The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club, Dorothy Sayers The Naturals, Jennifer Lynn Barnes Sorcerer to the Crown, Zen Cho *The God of the Hive, Laurie R. King *The Flatshare, Beth O'Leary *Dare We Hope, Hans Urs von Balthasar *The Leaf and the Cloud, Mary Oliver *Unnatural Death, Dorothy Sayers *Dark Lord of Derkholm, Diana Wynne Jones *Devil's Cub, Georgette Heyer *The Everlasting Man, G.K. Chesterton *The Light Princess, George Macdonald The Rest of Us Just Live Here, Patrick Ness Save the Date, Jenny B. Jones Save the Date, Morgan Matson *Deadly Little Scandals, Jennifer Lynn Barnes *An Enchantment of Ravens, Margaret Rogerson Stately Pursuits, Katie Fforde *The Language of Bees, Laurie R. King *Clouds of Witness, Dorothy Sayers *Little White Lies, Jennifer Lynn Barnes The Left-Handed Booksellers of London, Garth Nix *Given, Wendell Berry These Old Shades, Georgette Heyer *The Hazel Wood, Melissa Albert *Since You've Been Gone, Morgan Matson Simon the Coldhearted, Georgette Heyer Camp So-and-So, Mary McCoy The Girl in Blue, P.G. Wodehouse *The Inheritance Games, Jennifer Lynn Barnes House of Salt and Sorrows, Erin A. Craig

I might do a favorites write-up like I did last year, stay tuned!

[deathvsthemaiden]

3 4 6 11 13 17 & 23 !!! 🤠🌻

AAAAA ty Annie! 😳💌📖💕💕

3. top 5 books this year?

If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin, The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson*, By Light We Knew Our Names by Anne Valente, and Bound by Evelyn DaSilva! And this is cheating but I read way less than usual this year and it’s hard to compile a top 5 because of it, so: I read the short story collections The Refugees by Viet Thanh Nguyen and How Long ‘til Black Future Month? by N.K. Jemisin and my faves from each respectively were I’d Love You To Want Me and The Elevator Dancer.

I’m gonna cheat again and list one manga (Spy x Family, unbelievablyyy satisfying and fun) and some of my favorite works by mutuals also. This year Eve @pinkafropuffs published plenty of fanfics in addition to Bound, but if I had to choose one recent favorite I’d say: May Flowers Bloom Wherever You Wander. Such a spectacular, magical end to a delightful series, everything fell together so so wonderfully 💞🌸 highly recommended reading her fanworks even if you’re not familiar with the fandoms!! Ari @haldimilks published Burnish, Burn, a Heathcliff centric Wuthering Heights story that I think about and revisit often<33 You also don’t necessarily have to read Wuthering Heights before reading it and the website it’s on classifies it as a 10 min read so! you have nothing to lose 👀🔥 Ilika @sheherazade wrote and it went unsaid. a Queen’s Thief one shot that blew me away! Her love for this series is contagious and she perfectly nailed the complicated feelings and sincerity between Gen and Irene imo 👑📚

*It came out this year but I only read the preview chapters, so like barely a fraction of this brick of a book, but like.... it’s the fourth book in the series and I know in my bones I’ll love it and I deliberately didn’t screen myself from 60% of spoilers because I’m so impatient and I’m so so EXCITED to finish it next year uff 🤒🤒 and hopefully do the same with the same author’s new novella, Dawnshard, also.

4. Any new authors you love?

Grady Hendrix (my kind of horror/supernatural thriller! love his ideas and he executes them very well too), Toni Morrison (I could read her prose forever. was legit sad for a bit when I reached the end of TBE)

6. anything you meant to read but never got to?

GQISJWJ so many books.... SO many it’s not even funny! I have this thing about reading a landmark number of books every year because anything else makes my brain itch uncomfortably so I was gonna read 5-10 more books than I did last year (125) and had to bite the bullet and chop it down to 75 books last month...the universe’s way of gently knocking me down a peg and reminding me the one thing I can never be is consistent 😌 (I’m kidding) anyway I complied a list of books I DEFINITELY plan to tackle come 2021 and a lot of it is compromised of books I had planned to read and/or started this year! Like The Count Of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, The House at Baker Street by Michelle Birkby, Bending the Willow: Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes by David Stuart Davies, The Book of Collateral Damage by Sinan Antoon, Thorn by Intisar Khanani, The Professor and Vilette by Charlotte Brontë, and The Bear and The Nightingale by Katherine Arden. (So mostly a bunch of Sherlock Holmes adjacent stuff and fairytale retellings.... mecore as hell 🤭)

11. favorite not newly published book?

If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin hands down but also most of Sherlock Holmes in general. Some of my top favorites of what I’ve read so far are: A Study in Scarlet, A Scandal in Bohemia, The Beryl Coronet, The Speckled Band, The Norwood Builder, A Case of Identity, The Adventure of the Copper Beeches, and The Adventure of the Gloria Scott.

13. least favorite books of the year?

Mexican Gothic by Silvia-Moreno Garcia (I was SO excited for this one! it just felt unpolished in terms of plot direction and I questioned a lot of the writing choices... it’s title is basically just a concept and that’s what the book felt like and it unfortunately wasn’t satisfying), The Door in the Hedge by Robin McKinley (short story collection and McKinley’s works in general are hit or miss for me and this was a collection of misses 🤕 too much description and not enough plot or substance in these particular retellings that were played too straight, like no twists or changes leapt out at or hooked me), And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (I went into it knowing the original title and more about Christie in general than I wished to, but even without that... I just did not feel for any of the characters and was relieved every time one of them finally bit the dust), A Woman is no Man by Etaf Rum (don’t get me started.... I’ll just say I’m unfortunately aware of why non-Muslims ate this one up and I don’t like it. Tragedy p*rn and not even of the author’s own experiences. Reinforces too many stereotypes and is not a story about Muslims I think American/Western/whatever readers need to be exposed to rn.)

17. surprised by how good they were:

My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante (that end!! Very excited to see how the main characters’ lines progress in the next few books), The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix (this was SUPPOSED to be a popcorn read but I got SO invested it was magical), Pachinko by Min Jin Lee (one of those meandering books that follows generation after generation, dull at times but ultimately I liked the level of detail every other character got like? The author clearly knew what she was talking about and I enjoyed the overall picture she painted of the time periods the book takes place in. The duller parts were necessary and worth it), When The Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka (I just loved the prose of this one and how quick a read it was. None of the main characters had names either which intrigued me a ton and worked in the story’s favor)

23. fastest time it took to read a book?

Mm. The audiobook to The Yellow Wallpaper was like 45(?) min long GWHSHWH I also read Dostoyevsky’s short story A Novel in Nine Letters, which was short and snappy, and I’m also in the middle of reading An Honest Thief and Other Stories, also by him, which I probs won’t finish till next year but the first story was also easy breezy. I’ve mostly read short stories in 1-2 sittings this year, to keep me sane in between homework and freaking out, so I could go on but those stick out to me!

[marziesreads]

Review: The Theft of Sunlight (Dauntless Path #2)

The Theft of Sunlight by Intisar Khanani My rating: 5 of 5 stars For longtime followers of Intisar Khanani's writing and social media, we've often heard about a novel with the protagonist of The Bone Thief, Rae. Here, at last, is her tale! Rae, or Amraeya, is a very smart young woman who is living life with a painful disability. She was born with a clubfoot and, though gently treated by family and loving friends, has long been bullied and scoffed about as a future spinster and has heard that shocking word to see on a page "cripple" used to describe her for far too long. Rae expects that her life will be settling down in a spinsterly life with her sister Niya, who has her own disability- the gift of illicit magic. Neither Rae or Niya expect they will ever marry, what with their challenges and secrets. In fact, Rae never expected she would leave her father's horse farm in Sheltershorn. When her cousin Melly, whose husband Filadon works for Prince Kestrin, soon to be husband to Princess Alyrra of Adania, asks for Rae to come to court, Rae is reluctant to do so. But, when her best friend Ani's sister Seri becomes one of the latest children to be snatched by persons unknown, Rae rethinks this. Perhaps traveling to Menaiya's capital city of Tarinon will allow her to see what is known about these child snatchers. Her sisters are also eager for her to do so they will hear stories of the royal family and court. Yet Rae finds that life in the palace is infinitely more complicated than she planned when Prince Kestrin asks for Rae to serve as an attendant to Princess Alyrra, advising her about Menaiyan customs and keeping an eye out for her in an as yet not very friendly court. After all, Alyrra was living as a goose girl thanks to Valka's treachery in the events described in the first Dauntless Path novel, Thorn. Rae is surprised to find that she really likes Alyrra, and that Alyrra also takes an interest in the child snatchers, having lived closer to the common folk during her time as a goose girl. What the aristocrats pass off boogey-man tales to scare children is very real to the working class of Menaiya who have few resources to track down and rescue their children. Rae's role in Alyrra's service is thus partly secret, as only a few people know of Kestrin and Alyrra's opposition to the trafficking of child laborers, and her work in this regard is quite dangerous. Because ending trafficking and this "free" labor force is bound to have staunch opposition. But the sources of opposition are obscured and come from surprising corners of the kingdom. While Thorn was originally a retelling of the Grimm Bros. goose girl fairy tale, Theft of Sunlight, first in a duology, is an original work set in the world of Thorn. It is a far darker tale, dealing with the complicated process of ending trafficking and breaking criminal enterprises involved or on the borders of it. The novel is so beautifully written in terms of its rich detailing of life in Menaiya, from social customs (which feel rather South Asian and Arabic) to the realities of political life in King Melkior's court that it's easy to get lost in the story only to be brought up short by very harrowing events that befall Rae. Readers should be prepared for a far darker story, and should also be prepared for an unresolved ending. Because yes, there's a cliffhanger ending, dear Reader, which is part of why I chose to review the novel after the release date. For those of you out there who hate cliffhangers and refuse to read until the next book is out, I encourage you to realize that in the pandemic-affected book industry, you may be waiting for a book that will never be published if authors don't sell well now. They are working in an industry that has really suffered during the pandemic, when book tours have only been virtual, and book sales have been adversely impacted by high unemployment, poor library access, and closed bookstores, among the many challenges. The future of author contracts for forthcoming books depends on book sales now and many authors are fearful of not being able to continue. Take a chance on a good book, Reader. You will have the enjoyment of rereading just before the sequel is released. But please, let's have sequels. I also listened to the audiobook of Theft of Sunlight which is beautifully narrated by Shiromi Arserio. She does a great job, especially in the last chapters of the novel which are just heartbreaking. CW: physical violence, bloodshed, dismemberment I received a digital and paper review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Best Upcoming Non-Western and POC Fantasy Books in 2020

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The world of fantasy is expanding (as you can see from the awesome, expansive titles we covered in 2019). While I still love a good tale of a farm boy from a feudal nation saving the kingdom (or the world), I’m thrilled that so many great titles from beyond the traditional fantasy white European setting (so, you know, a majority of the world) are hitting American bookshelves. 

This list of most-anticipated non-western fantasies has some ongoing series titles, as well as conclusions to fantasy sagas, and brand new series starters. So whether you’ve been following titles inspired by world locations beyond western Europe, or whether you are brand new to this window into where the fantasy genre can go and has gone, we’ve got you covered. Here are some of the titles I’m most looking forward to this year.

Most Anticipated Non-Western Fantasy Books in January

Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibañez

The Illustrians have been usurped, and Ximena, a stand-in for the last remaining Illustrian royal, is ready to seek revenge. When the usurper, Atoc, demands the hand of the Condesa in marriage, Ximena goes instead, seeking a chance to destroy the relic that brought Atoc to power. Ibañez drew inspiration on stories of revolution in Bolivia, where both of her parents are from, in creating this South American influenced fantasy world.

Read Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibanez on Amazon.

Scavenge the Stars by Tara Sim

This YA fantasy spin on The Count of Monte Cristo begins when Amaya rescues a mysterious stranger from drowning. Sure, she’ll face greater punishment aboard the debtor’s ship that has been her home for years, she instead finds herself rewarded. The only reward she wants? Revenge on those who have wronged her. But of course, revenge comes with its own costs, and as she becomes embroiled with the son of the man she wants to destroy, she uncovers truths that convince her to trust no one. The first in this duology comes from the author of the Timekeeper trilogy, and would pair well (for adult readers) with 2019’s excellent Queen of the Conquered, which has its own echoes of The Count of Monte Cristo.

Read Scavenge the Stars by Tara Sim on Amazon.

Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi

In this contemporary dystopian fantasy, Ella can see the future of others. Her powers alienate her from her family, including her younger brother Kevin, who was born on the day that the police officers who beat Rodney King were exonerated in court. Alternating between Ella and Kev’s perspectives, the story follows the siblings from Kev’s promising childhood into his incarceration—for being a young black man in America. When Ella, who vanished years before, begins to visit Kev through astral projection, she leads him through the memories of others that she has experienced, guiding him to possibilities for a different future. Onyebuchi’s #OwnVoices story shines light on the realities of the structural racism and brutality faced by contemporary black Americans.

Read Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi on Amazon.

Most Anticipated Non-Western Fantasy Books in February

Deathless Divide by Justina Ireland

Jane McKeen started putting down the restless dead in Dread Nation, and she’s back in the divided America of the 1880s. Summerland has fallen, but that doesn’t make Jane’s life any easier. Enemies are still around her, and she finds herself questioning if she really understands the world. It’s a good thing she’s got Katherine Deveraux watching her back. Kate never expected to be Jane’s ally, but she knows just exactly how important it is to have friends in a world as dangerous as this one. This sequel to Ireland’s celebrated first novel comes after Ireland penned a few Star Wars novels, and it’s great to see her back in the Weird West from a galaxy far far away.

Read Deathless Divide by Justina Ireland on Amazon.

The Seventh Sun by Lani Forbes

This Maya-and-Aztec-inspired series starter reveals that the sun is fading, despite all of Prince Ahkin’s efforts to the contrary. When he must select a bride from among six candidates—and sacrifice the other five—in order to ascend to the throne, he feels connected to Mayana. But the gods may be against them, and the world may be on the brink of a darker apocalypse.

Read The Seventh Sun by Lani Forbes on Amazon.

The Wolf of Oren-Yaro by K. S. Villoso

A war tore Queen Talyien’s nation apart. A marriage was supposed to save it. But when her groom disappears, there’s no way to unite the rival clans of her nation, fracturing the kingdom. When, years later, he sends her a message requesting that they meet, she holds out hope that there will be peace—until someone tries to kill her. In order to save her people, and herself, she must become the Bitch Queen, the she-wolf, that her enemies have called her. Villoso grew up in the Phillipines and draws inspiration from that setting. This novel was originally self-published in 2018, but the traditionally printed books launched this year for an expected trilogy.

Read The Wolf of Oren-Yaro by K.S. Villoso on Amazon.

Most Anticipated Non-Western Fantasy Books in March

Thorn by Intisar Khanani

I loved the self-published version of Thorn when it was first released in 2012, and I’m excited to see a fully revised, expanded version coming out this year from HarperTeen. Drawing inspiration from the story of the Goose Girl, the story revolves around Princess Alyrra, whose identity is stolen from her by a sorcerer, robbing her of her royalty—but also granting her a chance to start fresh, free from the expectations of her family. However, when she uncovers a plot that threatens the prince she was to marry, she must decide whether to remain silent, or return to the royal world she longed to escape. This new edition of the #OwnVoices novel also includes Khanani’s fantastic short story, “The Bone Knife.”

Read Thorn by Intisar Khanani on Amazon.

Night of the Dragon by Julie Kagawa

The eagerly awaited conclusion of Kagawa’s trilogy is almost here! This third book in the “Shadow of the Fox” series follows the cliffhanger ending of Soul of the Sword. Hopefully this installment will reveal what has happened to Kitsune shapeshifter Yumeko and her love-interest-slash-enemy, Kage Tatsumi, who was possessed by a demon.

Night of the Dragon by Julie Kagawa on Amazon.

Wicked as You Wish by Rin Chupeco

Tala doesn’t really care about magic—and she sometimes negates it accidentally. Her family is part Filipino—she descends from Maria Makiling, a Filipina heroine—and part tied to the old, disappeared country of Avalon. When the Snow Queen returns from the dead, and an Avaolian firebird shows up on Tala’s doorstep, she’s thrust into a dangerous world of spelltech in the Royal States of America…

Wicked as You Wish by Rin Chupeco on Amazon.

A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat

Although this Thai-inspired fantasy novel is geared toward middle graders, there’s no shortage of depth to the story. When prison-born Pong escapes, he discovers that the world he’d longed to see is just as unfair and impoverished as the one he left behind. The rich thrive in the supernatural lights of Chattana, but the poor remain struggling in the shadows. Nok, the prison warden’s daughter, is determined to bring Pong back inside before her family is at the center of a scandal. But her own experiences outside the prison make her question the truths she has long trusted. With inspiration drawn from Les Miserables, this middle grade fantasy also has plenty of adult appeal.

Buy A Wish in the Dark on Amazon.

Most Anticipated Non-Western Fantasy Books in April

Incendiary by Zoraida Córdova

Renata is a memory thief, once in service of the king of Andalucia—though not of her own volition. She was kidnapped as a child and forced to carry out the King’s Wrath, leading to the deaths of thousands of her own people. Now, she has joined the rebellion, but even among the people who rescued her from the king, she is mistrusted. When she’s tasked with rescuing her commander—and love interest—from the palace, her rage and desire for revenge are tested. What will it cost her to keep her cover? Córdova is best known for the “Brookyn Brujas” series, and this Spain-set historical fantasy series starter is likely to feature some of the same appealing magic that made the contemporary fantasy series so popular.

Read Incendiary by Zoraida Cordova on Amazon.

The Ranger of Marzanna by Jon Skovron

This Russian-inspired epic fantasy features two siblings destined to oppose each other over the fate of the invading Empire. Sonya is training to be a ranger. Sebastian, her brother, is the world’s most powerful sorcerer. When their father is murdered by imperial soldiers, Sonya decides to take a stand against them, gathering together allies to push the invaders back. But Sebastian sides instead with the Empire, leading them to a final confrontation that will determine the fate of the world—and their family.

Buy The Ranger of Marzanna on Amazon.

The Red-Stained Wings by Elizabeth Bear

Set in the same world as Hugo-winner Bear’s epic “Eternal Sky” trilogy, The Red-Stained Wings continues the story of “The Lotus Kingdoms” she began in her 2017 novel The Stone in the Skull. Both books follow The Gage, a wizard-created brass automaton, and The Dead Man, a former bodyguard of the deposed Uthman Caliphate, who work as mercenaries. In the first book they delivered a message, and now all the Lotus Kingdoms are at war because of it. (While The Red-Stained Wings originally released in hardcover last year, we missed it in our 2019 roundup, and Bear’s work is too good not to mention.)

Buy The Red-Stained Wings on Amazon.

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Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi Review

By Kayti Burt

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The Infinite Noise: Interview with Lauren Shippen

By Kayti Burt

Race the Sands by Sarah Beth Durst

YA and middle grader readers will be familiar with Durst’s unique twist on fantasy stories, but her newest title gives adult audiences a chance to see her shine. Set in Becar, a land where your actions in life determine your next incarnation, the only way out of the cycle is to win the Races. Tamara and Raia, a trainer and a rider, work together to try to train a kehok—a monstrous mount—for Raia to ride in order for Raia to earn her freedom.

Read Race the Sands by Sarah Beth Durst on Amazon.

Most Anticipated Non-Western Fantasy Books in May

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

This gorgeous cover grabbed me immediately, and this ancient West African-inspired fantasy with a strong female lead looks like it could join Tomi Adeyemi’s series as a YA hit. Deka is different from everyone else, with intuition that marks her as separate. All she wants is to be a normal member of her village—but when her blood is revealed to be gold, the color of impurity, she must choose death, or a fate as a warrior for the emperor. Skewing older than Rick Riordan’s demigod fantasies, but with shades of the Dora Milaje from the Black Panther, this is definitely an #OwnVoices series starter to watch for.

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna on Amazon.

Empress of Flames by Mimi Yu

Lu and Min, the warring sisters of The Girl King, continue their battle over the Empire of the First Flame in this epic sequel. Lu, the firstborn, was destined to rule, and Min, blessed with magic, grew tired of being in her sister’s shadow. Now, while the sisters plot for the throne, a greater threat arises outside their empire—but even if they work together, they might lose everything.

Read Empress of Flames by Mimi Yu on Amazon.

The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall

This pirate swashbuckling adventure full of Asian folklore stars Flora, an orphan girl who takes on the identity of Florian to gain respect from a pirate crew, and Lady Evelyn Hasegawa, whose dreaded arranged marriage is interrupted by pirates. The two are thrust together, forming an unlikely bond that leads them to team up to rescue a mermaid and escape their fates—if they can survive the sea, a witch, and the Pirate Supreme himself.

The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall on Amazon.

Lobizona by Romina Garber

Argentine folklore comes to life in Miami in this #OwnVoices contemporary novel that tackles real-world issues of the treatment of undocumented immigrants—and the fantastic problems of descending from a bruja and a lobizón, a werewolf. Manuela Azul is hiding from her father’s Argentine crime family in Miami. When her mother is arrested by ICE, Manu makes more discoveries about her family than she’s ready for—including the fact that, according to the rules of her family’s magical world, she’s not supposed to exist…

Read Lobizona by Romina Garger on Amazon.

The Archer at Dawn by Swati Teerdhala

This sequel to last year’s The Tiger at Midnight continues the story of the legendary rebel, Viper, in a saga based on Hindu mythology. Esha, known as Viper, and her partner Kunal infiltrate the court of King Vardaan. But while getting into the palace is easy, completing the tasks they set out to do may make them question their loyalties—to their countries, and to each other. This is the second book of a trilogy, so readers may need to expect a cliffhanger…

Read The Archer at Dawn by Swati Teerdhala on Amazon.

Most Anticipated Non-Western Fantasy Books in June

A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow

Sirens have to hide their powers—and Tavia is determined to keep her identity a secret rather than be forced to follow the restrictions against her people. At least she has her best friend, Effie, to help her navigate high school. But soon, Effie has to face the literal demons of her past, and Tavia’s powers are revealed in the worst moment possible. Black mermaids are taking the spotlight between Disney’s live action The Little Mermaid and Rivers Solomon’s excellent The Deep, and this #OwnVoices YA novel looks like another excellent addition to that growing subgenre. (Disclosure: this novel is not #OwnVoices for mermaids; as far as I know, Morrow is not a siren in hiding.)

Read A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow on Amazon.

A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown

A Crown Princess who seeks to resurrect her dead mother by sacrificing the heart of a king. A war-stricken young man, whose only way to save his sister is to kill the Crown Princess. Fate has different plans for both of them…. Princess Karina plans to offer her hand in marriage to the winner of the Solstasia festival in order to kill her new husband and bring her mother back from the dead. Malik enters the competition, hoping to get close enough to kill Karina, so that he can save his sister from a vengeful spirit. But when their two paths collide, the two find that everything is more complicated than they expected. Brown’s debut, the first of a duology with a sequel due out next year, is inspired by West African folklore, and features plenty of tension between the two POV leads. (Malik’s sweetness and anxiety make him an unusual protagonist for many reasons, and there are reasons he’s come away as the fan favorite character.)

Phoenix Extravagant by Yoon Ha Lee

Lee might not be returning to the world of his middle-grade Korean-mythology space fantasy or his hard SF space opera, but the launch of a new fantasy series, full of magical automata, is just as exciting. When a symbol painter’s Phoenix Extravagant—the material they need to create pigments to program the automata—they set out to find the source. But the secrets of the Empire may be darker than the painter ever imagined. This #OwnVoices novel features a nonbinary main character in an Asian-inspired fantasy setting, and it’s at the top of my must-read list for 2020.

Read Phoenix Extravagant by Yoon Ha Lee on Amazon.

The Unconquered City by K. A. Doore

Doore’s “Chronicles of Ghadid” come to a conclusion in this third, action packed volume of assassins and warriors. Illi remembers the rise of the restless dead, and she works to protect her city from the guuls that travel the dunes. And Illi knows a secret that could allow her to end the threat of the dead—but only if she’s willing to risk sacrificing everything. 

Read The Unconquered City by K.A. Doore on Amazon.

The Empire of Gold by S.A. Chakraborty

In the concluding volume of Chakraborty’s #OwnVoices “Daevabad Trilogy,” con-artist Nahri and exiled prince Ali are back in 18th Century Cairo after fleeing fallen Daevabad. But neither of them feel right having left their loved ones behind under the rule of a tyrant. Together with the djinn Dara, they have to find a way to remake the world. Den of Geek has been following this trilogy since book one, and it’s exciting to watch this series come to a conclusion.

The Empire of Gold by S.A. Chakraborty on Amazon.

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The City of Brass: A Conversation with S.A. Chakraborty

By Kayti Burt

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The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty Review

By Kayti Burt

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

One of my favorite discoveries last year was Gods of Jade and Shadow, and while Moreno-Garcia takes this story in an entirely different direction with an all new cast, this re-envisioning of the gothic suspense genre in a Mexican setting looks to be just as fantastic. Noemí is a brave socialite called to rescue her cousin from a mysterious doom. When she arrives, she’s not sure whether the threat comes from her cousin’s intimidating English husband—or from the house itself, which plagues her dreams with visions of blood. Set in the 1950s, this #OwnVoices historical looks likely to feature the same kind of strong, unstoppable heroine as her 2019 title, twisting the tropes of another genre with a dose of horror.

Read Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia on Amazon.

The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho

“A bandit walks into a coffeehouse, and it all goes downhill from there,” according to the marketing hook for this one—and I have to admit, that has me hooked! This novella from Sorcerer to the Crown writer Cho is a wuxia fantasy with a female lead in far over her head. Guet has to team up with a group of thieves in order to protect a sacred object.

Read The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water on Amazon.

Most Anticipated Non-Western Fantasy Books in July

Unravel the Dusk by Elizabeth Lim

This sequel to Lim’s Spin the Dawn continues the story of Maia Tamarin, once tailor to the king, and now cursed with demon blood. When she completed three impossible dresses and freed the trapped magician who served the emperor, she set into motion events that now have far-reaching consequences. Maia must assume the place of the emperor’s bride to keep the peace—but as she begins to lose herself to the demon curse, she also plans for a future for her family, and the magician that she loves, even if she herself doesn’t survive.

Read Unravel the Dusk by Elizabeth Lim on Amazon.

We Free the Stars by Hafsah Faizal

Zafir and Nasir are supposed to be enemies, but when they were brought together in We Hunt the Flame, they found that nothing is as simple as they thought. Now, both on a hunt for the same lost artifact, they find a far deeper evil than either has before experienced, and realize that their prize may be more dangerous than they can imagine. This is the second in Faizal’s #OwnVoices “Sands of Arawiya” series, and should relieve readers who have been waiting since the first novel’s cliffhanger ending.

Read We Free the Stars by Hafsah Faizal on Amazon.

The Crow Rider by Kalyn Josephson

In this sequel to Josephson’s The Storm Crow, Princess Anthia (Thia) continues her plans to defeat the invading Illucian empire and restore Rhodaire. But her giant crow, Res, injures her when he’s unable to control his own magic, adding complications to their plans. Worse, Thia is being pursued by the Illucian Crown Prince, to whom she is irresistibly drawn. Can Thia become the crow rider she was meant to be, and reclaim her stolen kingdom? The Crow Rider concludes Josephson’s duology, set in a melting pot fantasy world.

Most Anticipated Non-Western Fantasy Books in August

Star Daughter by Shveta Thakrar

Neil Gaiman’s Stardust meets Hindu mythology? Yes, please! Sheetal is the daughter of a mortal and a star. In order to save her father, she must travel to the celestial courts and serve as a champion in her mother’s family in a tournament. If she doesn’t succeed, she may never be able to return to Earth—or save her father’s life. This is a standalone #ownvoices fantasy novel that looks like it would definitely appeal to readers who loved Roshani Chokshi’s The Star Touched Queen. 

Read Star Daughter by Shveta Thakrar on Amazon.

Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland

When most YA novels deal with immigration issues, the word “alien” doesn’t involve UFOs. Gilliand throws that expectation right out the window, creating a powerful first-person narration from the voice of a Latina who still communicates with her dead grandmother (and kitchen spirits). The narrative tackles not only undocumented immigration, human trafficking, and issues of sexual harassment and assault, but also UFOs, alien and government conspiracies, and human experimentation. The mashup of genres is unbelievably smoothly done, considering the disparate tones usually used for each, and the result is an amazing, un-put-downable novel with short chapters that inspire readers to keep going for just one more…

Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko

Debut author Ifueko introduces readers to a new world, where the Raybearer is guided by his Council of Eleven, each of whom has a Hallow, or magical power, to help him rule. Lonely Tarisai has been raised by The Lady to get close enough to the Crown Prince to kill him. But when Tarisai becomes a member of the Council, she finds the belonging she has always sought. Can she forge her own path, and fight the order she’s been compelled to obey? The first in a new series, Raybearer is inspired by West African mythology, and features a strong cast and a protagonist whose voice makes you want to root for her—whatever she decides.

Nujran and the Corpse in the Quadrangle by Krishna Sudhir

In this sequel to the 2017 Nujran and the Monks of Meirar, Sudhir mixes the mystery genre with Indian mythology. There’s a murder on campus that needs to be solved, but Nujran has even more to deal with: kidnapping, a prison escape, a reunion with a certain group of monks, and a new romance. It’s a lot for a college student to handle—and with a mysterious illness plaguing the teachers, there’s a lot depending on Nujran to solve the mystery! Though this is the second book in a series, it stands alone, and readers can pick up the story as they go.

Dominion: An Anthology of Black Speculative Fiction, edited by Zelda Knight and Ekpeki Oghenechovwe Donald

We don’t normally include anthologies on this list, but Dominion is too good to miss. The thirteen stories, written by writers from Africa and the African diaspora, range from fantasies with gods and ghosts to post-apocalyptic science fiction. Some of the tales border on horror, while others feature magicians and middle-managers. Many of the stories force their protagonists to face their dead—whatever that may mean for the story. It’s a unique collection and it’s well worth picking up and discovering a new favorite short story.

Most Anticipated Non-Western Fantasy Books in September

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

Julian Diaz wants to know why he’s dead, so it’s a good thing Yadriel summoned him—accidentally—instead of the ghost he meant to bring back. Now Yadriel can’t get rid of Julian without helping the ghost tie up some loose ends. As the two spend more time together, Yadriel realizes he doesn’t really want Julian to leave after all. This novel features a Latinx trans boy determined to prove his gender to his family in a really intriguing #OwnVoices YA fantasy debut.

Read Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas on Amazon.

The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart

When Lin’s father, the Emperor, passes her over as his heir, she decides to take matters into her own hands, practicing the forbidden art of bone shard magic. But Lin isn’t the only one determined to take the throne, and the revolution at the palace gates may cost her everything. This first book in the “Drowning Empire” series is Stewart’s debut, and while the world is not specifically non-western inspired, Stewart is the Chinese American daughter of immigrants, and her new setting with its migratory islands is sure to grab the interest of readers who love fresh takes on fantasy.

Buy The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart on Amazon.

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

This contemporary magical King Arthur-adjacent story, featuring a strong female lead who’s torn between taking down the Legendborn—descendents of King Arthur’s knights—for the secrets they hide from the world, or joining them in a fight against darker magical forces. Bree believes that her mother has died in an accident, until a “Merlin” attempts to wipe her memories of a magical event. Instead, Bree’s own magic is unlocked, and when she discovers another Merlin was hospitalized the night her mother died, she’s determined to uncover the secrets of the magical world. But the more she learns, the more she realizes there’s more at stake: war is coming, and Bree has to choose whose side she’s on.

Wayward Witch by Zoraida Córdova

You may have detected some excitement about Córdova’s anthology, Vampires Never Get Old, here at Den of Geek. But in addition to that Halloween perfect title, the conclusion to Córdova’s epic “Brooklyn Brujas” series also came out this fall. The award-winning series, the story of three sisters who develop their magical powers, launched with Labyrinth Lost in 2016. In this final volume, Rose is pulled through a magical portal to Adas, a magical land she has to save. Can saving another world help Rose figure out how to heal her own broken family? As Rose comes into her powers, she discovers she just may have what it takes to save herself. Fans of the series will not want to miss this finale!

The Ikessar Falcon by K. S. Villoso

The second book of the “Bitch Queen” trilogy is here! The series launched with a traditional publisher earlier this year, and in the sequel, Queen Talyien, now abandoned by her people, faces her failure to save her nation. In order to protect her king and her son, she must dismantle the myth that others have built around her—the myth she could never become. With mad dragons on one side and power-hungry men on the other Talyien’s road home is dangerous, but if she doesn’t triumph, her nation may pay the price.

Zorro’s Shadow: How a Mexican Legend Became America’s First Superhero by Stephen J. C. Andes

If superheroes are modern fantasy, the combination of legend and superhero deserves a place on this list, even if the exploration is nonfiction. Did you know that Zorro first appeared in 1919? The swashbuckling hero who fought for the poor and impoverished, while hiding his identity behind the foppish Don Diego, definitely set the stage for future cape-wearing heroes with secret-identities. But Zorro is more than just a precursor of that genre; Andes argues that he represents a Latinx, multiethnic, multicultural America. If you’ve loved Zorro in pop culture, taking a peek into the history behind the character is a must.

Most Anticipated Non-Western Fantasy Books in October

Storm the Earth by Rebecca Kim Wells

Maren and Kaia may be reunited in this explosive conclusion to the Shatter the Sky duology, but their journey has changed them. Maren remains determined to set the dragons free, and to rescue their friend, Sev, now trapped by the emperor. Though Maren knows that she will fight, she’s not sure who will survive once the battle is over…

Read Storm the Earth by Rebecca Kim Wells on Amazon.

Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse

Roanhorse’s Anasazi-inspired fantasy novel isn’t out until October, but the book is hitting many anticipated-fantasy lists of 2020. It’s no surprise, as Roanhorse is one of the most celebrated voices in fantasy right now, with a Nebula, Hugo, and Campbell all under her belt. While you’re waiting for more on this title, you can pick up the first two books in her Sixth World series, her Star Wars novel, or her 2020 middle-grade fantasy Race to the Sun.

Read Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse on Amazon.

Phoenix Extravagant by Yoon Ha Lee

Lee might not be returning to the world of his middle-grade Korean-mythology space fantasy or his hard SF space opera, but the launch of a new fantasy series, full of magical automata, is just as exciting. When a symbol painter’s Phoenix Extravagant—the material they need to create pigments to program the automata—runs out, they set out to find the source. But the secrets of the Empire may be darker than the painter ever imagined. This #OwnVoices novel features a nonbinary main character in an Asian-inspired fantasy setting, and it’s at the top of my must-read list for 2020.

Of Fury and Fangs by Kyoko M.

In this fourth novel in the “Of Cinder and Bone” series, someone is trying to kill Dr. Rhett “Jack” Jackson. As one of the two scientists—alongside Dr. Kamala Anjali—who brought dragons back to life after their previous extinction, Jack has a lot of enemies. Jack and Kamala plan to solve the mystery of who wants Jack dead, but finding the truth may cost more than they expected. The “Of Cinder and Bone” series mixes science fiction and fantasy, flooding a contemporary SF setting with dragons, and adding a hefty dose of thriller in for good measure.

God Storm by Coco Ma

In this sequel to Ma’s 2019 novel, Shadow Frost, Asterin has evaded her mother’s attempt at murdering her and has risen to become queen. But the cost was high, and Asterin lost both her lifelong friend and her true love. Now, she realizes that her friends are being held by the God of Shadow. What Asterin chooses won’t just change the fate of her friends, it might change the fate of the whole mortal world.

The Shadow of Hades by Paul C. Williams

Four stories intertwine in this paranormal fantasy novel that deals with themes of grief. In one tale, a boy with no memory wakes in a graveyard; eventually he discovers the souls of the dead residing within him. In another, the fabric of the universe is coming undone in a magical wood, and the local residents have to come together to heal the breech. Eventually, the four stories merge into a single whole, an exploration of what the characters are willing to sacrifice to confront their own demons. Williams is a Black-Hispanic, LGBTQ teen author who published his first book at age seventeen; his exploration of grief and death is dark, but also offers readers a spark of hope.

Most Anticipated Non-Western Fantasy Books in November

The Conductors by Nicole Glover

A historical mystery crossed with a fantasy novel, this debut focuses on former Underground Railroad conductor Hetty Rhodes and her husband as they make their post-Civil War life in Philadelphia, solving mysteries the white authorities ignore. Hetty’s used to using her wits and her magic, and her new life is no different—especially when it comes to uncovering truths about the Black Elite of Philadelphia.

Read The Conductors by Nicole Glover on Amazon.

The Burning God by R. F. Kuang

The third, eagerly anticipated book in “The Poppy War” series sticks-the-landing (according to Kuang, quoting her editor in a Twitter post). The story finishes Rin’s saga in a world reminiscent of 20th Century, but filled with gods and monsters.

Read The Burning God by R.F. Kuang on Amazon.

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The Fires of Vengeance by Evan Winter

Winter’s sequel to last year’s The Rage of Dragons follows Tau as he continues fighting a war his people have been waging for generations. In a world where some women can summon dragons and some men can magically transform into larger, stronger versions of themselves, Tau has already realized that there are greater costs to the endless war than the Omehi have admitted to their people. Alongside Tsiora, the ousted queen of the Omehi, Tau strives to delay an attack by the indigenous people of Xidda, all while the queen makes a dangerous plan to retake the throne from her sister. The reviews of The Rage of Dragons make that novel sound un-put-downable, so expect another page turner when this one hits the shelves.

Buy The Fires of Vengeance on Amazon.

These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong

What happens if you take Romeo and Juliet, reset it in 1920s Shanghai, then add a magical creature that drives people mad? Chloe Gong explores the answer in her YA historical fantasy. Juliette Cai has returned to Shanghai, proud to take on the role of heir to the Scarlet Gang. Roma Montagov is heir to the Scarlet Gang’s rivals, the Russian White Flowers. But while both gangs—and heirs—are prepared to war with each other, a deeper danger is rising from the depths of the Huangpu River, and the only cure to the creature’s madness comes from the Westerners in the city, who have their own motives. Unless Juliette and Roma can put aside their differences, Shanghai might fall. This is the first in a duology, to keep watching for Gong’s sequel to find out the fates of these two star-crossed lovers.

Most Anticipated Non-Western Fantasy Books in December

King of the Rising by Kacen Callender

Last year’s stunning Queen of the Conquered blew me away with its moral ambiguity and it’s gorgeous and terrible fantasy Caribbean setting. I had no idea Callender was planning a sequel, but I am incredibly excited to see where she takes the world, especially with the first novel’s secondary character Loren as the point of view character in this sequel. In the first novel, when Sigourney played the catalyst for a slave revolt—that led to her own unmaking, as well—Loren was one of the revolutionaries pulling her strings, and was the man who spoke up to request mercy for her. Now, with this former slave, the child of a colonist, at the forefront of the story, readers will get a very different view of the islands, and I cannot wait to see where this narrative takes us.

Buy King of the Rising by Kacen Callender on Amazon.

The post Best Upcoming Non-Western and POC Fantasy Books in 2020 appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[ladyherenya]

Books read in June

I didn’t read everything I had planned. I was distracted reading other things and now I have to decide which library books I will return unread.

Part of me is stubbornly convinced I should retain my eleven-year-old self’s ability to borrow armfuls of books and read all of them at least once before the return date. Which is ridiculous. Back then I had fewer responsibilities and read shorter books. And having too many books to read is a better problem to have than running out of books.

Favourite cover(s): Thorn, Battle Born and White Eagles.

Reread: All Systems Red by Martha Wells.

Still reading: Descendent of the Crane by Joan He and Riviera Gold by Laurie R. King.

Next up: Aurora Burning by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff, and The Enigma Game by Elizabeth Wein.

One day I’ll get back to posting other things on Tumblr but for now, it’s just book reviews.

(Longer reviews and ratings on LibraryThing and Dreamwidth.)

*

Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett (narrated by Stephen Briggs): The wizards of Unseen University play football. This is humorous, clever, sharply observant about people -- very much what I’ve come to expect from Pratchett. I enjoyed it a lot. 

Girl Gone Viral by Alisha Rai: Katrina is horrified when a conversation she has with a man in a café is overheard, twisted into a romance, documented on Twitter -- and goes viral. Her bodyguard offers his family’s farm as a safe retreat. I enjoyed reading this and liked how it’s romance about a woman dealing with panic attacks, but by the final act, its priorities had diverged somewhat from mine. It wanted to get to its happily-ever ending, whereas I thought it had raised interesting issues worthy of further exploration and slower, more complex solutions. I wanted a happy ending, too, but wanted more story first.

Blame It On Paris by Laura Florand: I’ve read a few of Florand’s romances and even though the descriptions of Paris and chocolate shops were lovely and vivid, as stories they were not really my thing. But I loved her memoir, which is very funny. During her year in Paris, Laura isn’t looking to give up her independence, travelling or career plans for romance. But then her friends talk her into asking out the French waiter she admires. Getting to know Sebastien allows Laura to see France from a different perspective, and challenges her assumptions about serious relationships, her (American) culture and her own family.

Stepping From the Shadows by Patricia A. McKillip: A story about growing from childhood into adulthood. Published in 1982 as McKillip’s “first book for adults”, I can see why this is now out-of-print. It is strange, even by McKillip’s standards for strangeness. In merging the mundane with the magical, the mythical, it attempts something rather interesting and thoughtful, but it isn’t quite successful. However, the descriptions of places are wonderfully vivid, the narrator’s emotions are conveyed with intensity, and there were moments that felt like catching a fleeting glimpse of myself of a mirror. I didn’t always like it, but I’m glad I got to read it all the same.

True to Your Service by Sandra Antonelli: Kitt is sent on a mission to the Netherlands and his boss insists that Mae accompany him. This spy-thriller is, like At Your Service and Forever in Your Service, a bit too violent for me. However, I liked that Mae and Kitt talk about their reactions to distressing events with each other. In fact, the two of them are constantly discussing their thoughts and feelings about what’s happening, including the way Kitt’s job collides with their personal relationship. I really like the way their relationship is an on-going conversation.

The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer:

Cress (narrated by Rebecca Soler): Following on from Cinder and Scarlet. Cress, born without the Lunar gift for manipulation, has spent years living alone in a satellite orbiting Earth, using her tech skills under the orders of the Lunar thaumaturge Sybil and dreaming of escape. I really enjoyed this. I like how it wove in elements from “Rapunzel”, and dealt with Cress’s perception of herself as a damsel in distress, a girl in need of rescuing.  There is an increasing focus on teamwork and friendship -- this means we see the characters from different perspectives, and we also see different sides to them. 

Winter (narrated by Rebecca Soler): Princess Winter, step-daughter of Queen Levana, is determined that she will never use her Lunar gift to manipulate others -- even though refraining makes her a bit crazy. Meanwhile Cinder and her friends plot to overthrow the queen. This is tense and entertaining, and the narrator does a wonderful job of bringing all the characters to life. I love that the gang are so accepting of each other’s weird quirks and that the romances are given time to develop. I love their teamwork, banter and perseverance. The focus is on the characters’ relationships and the action, and both are excellent.

Thorn by Intisar Khanani: Fifteen year old Princess Alyrra is sent to marry the prince from another kingdom but en route is forced into swapping places with her lady-in-waiting. This retelling of “The Goose Girl” is riveting. I instantly cared about Alyrra, and appreciated how thoughtfully and effectively the story walks a line between darkness and hope -- between fear and trust, sadness and joy. Alyrra’s new life has dangers and difficulties, but also positive things -- satisfaction in her work, a supportive found-family. She becomes increasingly aware of injustice around her, but her story is shaped by her choices -- to be kind, to seek justice and bring change.

The Physicians of Vilnoc, a novella in the World of the Five Gods by Lois McMaster Bujold: Penric and Desdemona are summoned to deal with an outbreak of a mysterious disease. This could easily be an intense story and, oddly enough, it isn’t. Given the current state of the world, I’m glad Bujold didn’t go with the dark, harrowing possibilities and instead wrote about Pen investigating how the disease is transmitted while treating as many patients as he can. Still a stressful experience for Pen, but I was confident his worst fears wouldn’t transpire. And it was satisfying to get a better understanding regarding the best way for Pen and Des to use their knowledge and skills.

Hamster Princess: Ratpunzel by Ursula Vernon (aka T. Kingfisher): Like Of Mice and Magic, this is another entertaining twist on a fairytale. When Harriet helps her friend Wilbur to find a stolen hydra egg, they come across someone else in need of help -- a rat with a very long tail.

Battle Born by Amie Kaufman: A satisfying conclusion to Ice Wolves and Scorch Dragons, with a couple of unexpected developments and a lot of expected emphasis on wolves, dragons and humans working together. I liked the realism of this. Anders and his sister Rayna have both cool shapeshifting abilities and special status arising from their parentage. But their success depends upon the support of resourceful friends and wise, trustworthy adults. They save the day, not because they know all the answers but because they bring people together. This trilogy is one I wish I could send back in time for my eleven year old self.

Time of Our Lives by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka: Two teenagers cross paths while touring East Coast colleges. There’s a lot I found interesting: Fitz’s fascination with words; Juniper’s enthusiasm and passion for the college-choosing process; the way they challenge each other; their intense family situations; and the glimpses of university life. However, I ended up feeling oddly annoyed. I was drawn into the story because Fitz and Juniper’s perspectives and motives were so very real and understandable, but something about some of their later choices and thoughts seemed too pat. Like the level of realism slipped slightly because the authors wanted to get their Message For The Teens across.

Tweet Cute by Emma Lord: Two teenagers, two business Twitter accounts and one very public argument about grilled cheese. Pepper and Jack see each other in class and cross paths training at the pool, but they don’t realise that they’re at war on Twitter nor pseudonymously chatting on a school-based app, like something out of You’ve Got Mail. This was a lot of fun -- super cute and full of Pepper’s passion for baking, Jack’s passion for his family’s deli, complicated-but-ultimately-supportive family relationships, and references to internet culture. I like how the story explores the strengths, the pressures and the problems of social media.

Text, Don’t Call: an illustrated guide to the introverted life by INFJoe by  Aaron T. Caycedo-Kimura: The text offers a basic explanation of introversion. It might be a decent introduction for someone new to the topic, but I found it a bit too basic to be interesting. However, the illustrations were great! Very funny and often relatable, and in one or two cases, usefully thought-provoking.

White Eagles by Elizabeth Wein: When Germany invades Poland, eighteen year old Kristina of the Polish Air Force has a chance to escape with her aeroplane ‐‐ and an unexpected stowaway. Her journey allows for a fascinating bird's-eye view of Europe in 1939 and of the challenges posed by such a trip. This novella-sized story is aimed to be both accessible and interesting to reluctant or dyslexia readers. It has moments where I, personally, would have liked more detail but I've worked with struggling readers and I think it's so awesome this sort of thing exists.

[paralian-s]

Would it be possible for you to share your entire book collection with us? If you read, of course :)

sure, my collection is a longstanding process though. some of these books i have read with 15 years, some i have read in the most recent time, so it’s going to be a long one.

still missing - by chevy stevensalways watching - by chevy stevensthe darker side - by cody mcfadyen1948 - by george orwellfallen - by lauren kateshining - by stephen kingdolores - by stephen kingthe dark tower (series) - by stephen kingthe eyes of the dragon - by stephen kingthe hollow city - by dan wellsthe catcher in the rye - j. d. salingersay you’re sorry - michael robothamthe curious incident of the dog in the night-time - by mark haddonboot camp - by morton rhuethe historian - by elizabeth kostovadesert flower - by waris dirielike the flowing river - by paulo coelhoby the river piedra i set down and wept - by paulo coelhothe alchemist - by paulo coelhothe pilgrimage - by paulo coelhothe zahir - by paulo coelhonotes of a dirty old man - by charles bukowskimaster narrative - by franz kafka (basically a collection of a billion stories)colorless tsukuru tazaki and his years of pilgrimage - by haruki murakami1Q84 - by haruki murakamilook who’s back - by timur vermesthe host - by stephenie meyerthink of a number - by john verdonthe faerie path - by allan jonesthrough the looking-glass, and what alice found there - lewis carrollthe metamorphosis - by franz kafkafaust I - by goethebabylon revisited - by f. scott fitzgerald

+ i have a huge load of books such as “islam between east and west” by alija izetbegovic & “the drama of the gifted child” by alice miller etc. etc. etc. but for the sake of my back, i just listed those that have more of an entertainment factor. and here comes my list of books i have on my e-reader:

keystone - by dannika darkcruel beauty - by rosamund hodgethe law of moses - by amy harmonmoonshadow - by thea harrisonrelentless - by karen lynchguild hunter (series) - by nalini singhclockwork angel - by cassandra clarewicked lovely - by melissa marrgraceling realm (series) - by kristin cashorethe selection - by kiera cassvicious - by l. j. shensparrow - by l.j. shenthe fallen world (series) - by laura thalassathe unearthly - by laura thalassarhapsodic - by laura thalassabreath of fire - by amanda bouchetdaugther of the forest - by juliet marillierthe wretched of muirwood - by jeff wheelerslave to sensation - by nalini singhthe scribe - by elizabeth hunterthe flame and the arrow - by emigh cannadaya clearing in the forest - by kim love stumpdragon rose - by christine popethe mark of the tala - jeffe kennedyone hundred years of solitude - by gabriel garcia marquezthorn - by intisar khananisong of susannah - by stephen kinguprooted - by naomi novikand the mountains echoed - by khaled hosseinithe bell jar - by sylvia plaththe bird and the sword - by amy harmona court of mist and fury - by sarah j. maas a court of thorns and roses - by sarah j. maas (love, love, love the entire series)the snowfang bride - by merry ravenelldreamer’s pool: a blackthorn & grim novel - by juliet marillieravenger’s angel - by heather killough-waldenrestraint - by randi cooley wilsonministry of curiosities (series) - by c. j. archervampire girl (series) - by karpov kinradethe royals (series) - by erin wattangelfall - by susan eeshadow and bone - by leigh bardugohalf-blood - by jennifer l. armentroutburn - by suzanne wrighta promise of fire - by amanda bouchetthe hidden princess - by cara coepoison study - by maria v. snydertouch of power - by maria v. snyderwrath & dawn - by renee ahdiehthrone of glass - by sarah j. maaskiss of deception - by mary e. pearsonthe heart of betrayal - by mary e. pearsonthe witcher (series) - by andrzej sapkowskiwhite hart (series) - by sarah daltonunder different stars - by amy a. bartolthe watchmaker’s daughter - by c. j. archerthe shattered court - by m. j. scottthe queen of the tearling - by erika johansenhighland magic (series) - by helen harperbride to the sun - by lia pattersonthe raven cycle (series) - maggie stiefvaterred queen - by victoria aveyardglass sword - by victoria aveyarduntil friday night - by abbi glinesbrave new world - by aldous huxleyfight club - by chuck palahniukthe picture of dorian grey - oscar wildenow, the next ones are all by stephen king:in the tall grassthe dark halfduma keyblazea face in the crowda good marriagebag of bonesbig driverblack houseblockade billycarriecellcujodesperationdifferent seasonsdoctor sleepdreamcatchereverything’s eventualfinders keepersfirestarterfour past midnightfull dark, no starsgerald’s gamehearts in atlantisinsomniaitjoylandthe colorado kidthe dead zonejust after sunsetlisey’s storymile 81miserymr. mercedesneedful thingsnight shiftnightmares & dreamseapespet semataryrevivalriding the bulletroadworkrose maddersalem’s lotskeleton crewthe drawing of the threethe girl who loved tom gordonthe green milethe long walkthe mistthe running manthe standthe talismanthinnerthrottleunder the domethe wind through the keyholewizard and glass

wow okay, this was a lot more work than i thought it would be. anyway, i think my fav genres to read are clear as day. 

[aboxthecolourofheartache]

words, cliffhanger, title

What book made you love reading?If we’re going Way Back, it was probably “Lissa and the Moon’s Sheep” by Eli Goldblatt.  It’s a lavish picture book about a girl whose coming-of-age test is to shear the moon’s sheep.  I think it was the first book I ever reread for myself without my parents’ help.  If we’re going less Way Back, then “A Wrinkle In Time,” which I think I read in first grade?

What book(s) are you reading currently?

“Strange the Dreamer” by Laini Taylor, “The Three Kingdoms, Volume One: The Sacred Oath” by Luo Guanzhong (English translation by Yu Sumei), “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court” by Mark Twain, “The Girl in the Tower” by Katherine Arden, “Raven Stratagem” by Yoon Ha Lee, “Memories of Ash” by Intisar Kahani, and “The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark” by Carl Sagan.  Here’s my goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/33007305-anna

What character would be your BFF?

HA oh man.  I’m inclined to think I’d get along with Micah from the Tremontaine series?  She’s very sweet.  There are plenty of characters that I love with my whole heart, but I could not imagine being friends with them.

Thank you for the questions!!

[dazzledbybooks]

A princess with two futures. A destiny all her own Between her cruel family and the contempt she faces at court, Princess Alyrra has always longed to escape the confines of her royal life. But when she’s betrothed to the powerful prince Kestrin, Alyrra embarks on a journey to his land with little hope for a better future. When a mysterious and terrifying sorceress robs Alyrra of both her identity and her role as princess, Alyrra seizes the opportunity to start a new life for herself as a goose girl. But Alyrra soon finds that Kestrin is not what she expected. The more Alyrra learns of this new kingdom, the pain and suffering its people endure, as well as the danger facing Kestrin from the sorceress herself, the more she knows she can’t remain the goose girl forever. With the fate of the kingdom at stake, Alyrra is caught between two worlds and ultimately must decide who she is, and what she stands for. Thorn by Intisar Khanani Publisher: Hot Key Books Release Date: March 24th 2020 Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Retellings, Romance, Fairy Tales Links: Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36443368-thorn Amazon: https://amzn.to/368iK6x B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thorn-intisar-khanani/1111104034?ean=9780062835703#/ iTunes: https://books.apple.com/us/book/thorn/id1329410102 Bookdepository: https://www.bookdepository.com/Thorn-Intisar-Khanani/9781471408724?ref=grid-view&qid=1579381994072&sr=1-1 Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/thorn-17 Google Books: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=M7WeDwAAQBAJ Favorite Quotes: Mother has never kept me safe from my brother The only time I can remember not fearing him was before my father’s death. This is how you survive: one breath to the next, refusing each thought as it comes to you. This is how you get through the worst of things. Deep inside, I hear Ash ask, Who pushed you? It is a question I have waited half a lifetime to hear. I am amazed the sun does not shine. I am not about to let one unfriendly man rob me of my chance at happiness. Review: Thorn by Intisar Khanani is a retelling of "The Goose Girl". I was really looking forward to this book. It sounded so good. I found that I enjoyed this book. Princess Alyrra has never been a very good princess. Alyrra wants nothing more than to get away from her family. She has a very cold mother that does not show love and then she has a very abusive brother. My heart ached for this girl. When a king show sup and asks for Alyrra's hand in marriage to his son, Alyrra realizes that she doesn't have very many choices in life. She can either marry this prince or she can stay with her abusive family. Then Alyrra switches places with her handmaiden. The adventure takes off from there. I have to say that I really enjoyed these characters. I thought that each one of them was very thought out. I felt like they had great personalities and that they were very well written. I really loved the magic. Khanani did a great job with the magic in this book. I thought it fit quite perfectly. I really liked how Khanani approached some of the more sensitive topics in this book. I thought she did a really good job. I feel like when it comes to tough subjects, our society likes to hide and pretend that things don't happen. I think that this book really touches on some great hot topics. Ultimately, I really liked this book. I think it is definitely worth giving a shot. Excerpt: I lead the king down to the back entrance to the gardens, and we walk along between plots of dill, thyme, and chives. I wait, knowing he will speak when he is ready. “How much does your mother confide in you?” he asks as we near the middle of the gardens. I slide a look at him from the corner of my eye. “Enough. My lord.” His lips quirk, the first true smile I have seen from him. “Is that honest?” I pause beside a bed of borage. “How much do I need to know, my lord? You are here seeking a wife for your son.” “I am,” he agrees. “How often do you participate in the discussions between your mother and the council?” “I don’t, my lord. You should know I am not . . .” I hesitate, aware that I have no place telling this king what he should or should not know. Or jeopardizing such an alliance for my land. “Not what?” I struggle to find an appropriate way to finish. “Not—it is not thought my place to attend such meetings.” “You would never inherit the throne?” I could inherit, it is true, but I doubt the council would allow it given my history—and certainly not now that I might marry into another royal family, one that would be happy to add our lands to their own. Either way, should my brother die, the council would certainly pass over me in favor of our nearest cousin. “It is unlikely,” I say finally. “I doubt that,” the king says. “It has been my experience that even young men die. What you mean to say is your council would not accept you should your brother die without issue and you were yet unwed. Why?” If he knows all the answers, why is he asking? I look him in the eye and quip, “Perhaps I am too honest, my lord.” He laughs. “And too straightforward. You will have to learn to play with your words more.” He reaches out, his fingertips brushing my arm where my brother held me. I flinch back reflexively, as if the bruises have already darkened—as if he could see them through my sleeve. He watches me, his eyes glinting in the sunlight. “Once you are Menaiya’s,” he says, “your brother will never hurt you again.” About the Author: Intisar Khanani grew up a nomad and world traveler. Born in Wisconsin, she has lived in five different states as well as in Jeddah on the coast of the Red Sea. She first remembers seeing snow on a wintry street in Zurich, Switzerland, and vaguely recollects having breakfast with the orangutans at the Singapore Zoo when she was five. She currently resides in Cincinnati, Ohio, with her husband and two young daughters. Until recently, Intisar wrote grants and developed projects to address community health with the Cincinnati Health Department, which was as close as she could get to saving the world. Now she focuses her time on her two passions: raising her family and writing fantasy. Intisar’s debut novel, Thorn, was picked up by HarperTeen and will be re-released in Winter 2020. In the meantime, she’s hard at work on the remaining books of The Sunbolt Chronicles. Links: Website: http://booksbyintisar.com Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/Intisar_Khanani Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/booksbyintisar Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/booksbyintisar/ Twitter: http://twitter.com/booksbyintisar On March 24th Thorn will be releasing from Hot Key (UK) and HarperTeen (US/CA)! To celebrate, I’m offering some amazing Thorn goodies to everyone who … ·        pre-orders/orders a copy of Thorn before March 31st at 23.59. ·        OR requests it from their library (library hold / suggested purchase) before March 31st at 23.59. Here’s what’s up for grabs: Physical goodies (US/UK): PHOTO AVAILABLE ON DROPBOX ·        A Thorn Bookmark ·        A set of Chibi Stickers featuring Thorn characters ·        A Signed Bookplate PLUS Digital goodies (worldwide): ·        A PDF of Brambles – a Thorn prequel short story so you can jump into Alyrra’s world now! ·        A PDF of The (Annotated) Goose Girl – the original fairytale with annotations from yours truly in the margin ·        A coloring page of three Thorn-themed bookmarks All you need to do to enter is send a proof of purchase (or screenshot of your library hold), your name and address to khananipreorder@gmail.com. T&Cs apply! UK entrants: Hot Key Books rocks and can mail you physical goodies as well as the digital. Check it out here: https://ift.tt/3dBVTVP Non-US/UK entrants: I really, really wanted to offer you the physical goodies, but postage is a bear. If you would like to cover the cost of an international stamp ($1.20), I can absolutely mail you the goodies as well. E-mail in your proof/screenshot for your digital goodies, and I’ll link you up so you can do that. Original link: http://booksbyintisar.com/thorn-pre-order/ The universal book link for purchasing Thorn is: www.books2read.com/thorn Giveaway: 1st Prize: Win a book of your choice from Bookdepository (INT*) 2nd Prize: Win a THORN swag pack (stickers, bookmark, and a signed bookplate) [INT] T&Cs: - Bookdepository: Open INTERNATIONALLY, *where Bookdepository ships to (https://www.bookdepository.com/help/topic/HelpId/3/Which-countries-do-you-deliver-to#helpContent). - Swag bundle: Open INTERNATIONALLY. Starts: 24th March 2020 Ends: 7th April 2020 Tour Schedule: March 24th The Unofficial Addiction Book Fan Club - Welcome Post March 25th My Bookish Escapades - Guest PostMythical Books - ReviewMoonlight Rendezvous - Review + Favourite QuotesMarzie's Reads - ReviewMaBookYard - Review + Favourite Quotes March 26th L.M. Durand - ReviewThe Everlasting Library - ReviewBook-Keeping - ReviewFoals, Fiction & Filigree - Review + Favourite Quotes& She Reads - ReviewElisabeth Wheatley - Review + Playlist + Dream Cast March 27th Kait Plus Books - Guest PostUtopia State of Mind - Review + Favourite QuotesHere's to Happy Endings - ReviewThe Laughing Listener - ReviewBookishly Nerdy - Review + Favourite QuotesBooks_n_sunshine - Review + Favourite Quotes + Dream Cast March 28th A Book Addict's Bookshelves - InterviewBooks.Bags.Burgers - Review + Favourite QuotesGwendalyn’s Books - ReviewThe Layaway Dragon - Review + Favourite QuotesFanna Wants The World To Read - Review March 29th Fangirl Pixie Blog - Review + Playlist + Favourite QuotesSometimes Leelynn Reads - Review + Dream CastLa La in the Library - ReviewHauntedbybooks - Review + Favourite QuotesBiblioxytocin - Review + Favourite Quotes March 30th To All The Books I've Read Before - InterviewA Dream Within A Dream - ReviewHappily, Hedy - Spotlight Dazzled by Books - Review + Favourite Quotesinkstains.and.dust - Review theanxiousbookworm_ - Review + Favourite Quotes

http://www.dazzledbybooks.com/2020/03/thorn-blog-tour.html

[francesderwent]

The Year So Far Book Ask

I was tagged by @magpie-trove and @madamescarlette. Thank you, ladies! This was hard, but fun!!!

1. Best book you have read in 2021 so far?

It would be absolutely impossible to name the Best, but some highlights are: The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (a grand mansion mystery like a mashup of Knives Out and the 1860s love triangle from The Vampire Diaries), The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer (with the most vivacious and competent heroine I have ever read), The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert (scary fairytale done right), Therese by Dorothy Day (the best way to get to know Zelie, Louis, Therese, and all her sisters - so many new saintly friends!!), The Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis (wondrously clear and common-sensical), and The Outline of Sanity by G.K. Chesterton (I tripped and fell into distributism).

2. Best sequel you have read in 2021 so far?

Either Have His Carcase by Dorothy Sayers or Theft of Sunlight by Intisar Khanani!

3. A new release you want to check out?

I want to read A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik, which isn’t exactly newly released per se.  And The Witness for the Dead by Katherine Addison!  I need to reread The Goblin Emperor first, though.

4. Most anticipated book release of the second half of the year?

But seriously. If you think I find out about the existence of a new book, even one by an author I love, any other way than by physically seeing it on a shelf, you're kidding yourself.

(A google search spurred by a later question revealed that the Inheritance Games sequel is meant to come out in September!! so I’m psyched about that!!!!!)

5. Biggest disappointment?

Maybe How the Multiverse Got Its Revenge by K. Eason, since I enjoyed the first book so much?  Or else, A College of Magics, by Caroline Stevermer, because I adored the first half but the philosophy of the second half hurt my feelings.

6. Biggest surprise?

Probably The Hazel Wood or An Enchantment of Ravens, because these days I am capital-S Shocked, full-on clutching my pearls when a modern fantasy has a truly fairytale ending.  It’s so rare and so wonderful!  Or else Therese, because I don’t tend to like Saint books, and I loved this one.

7. Favourite new author (either new to you or debut)?

Jennifer Lynn Barnes is the undisputed queen of this year!!  Imagine if your favorite CW teen drama was written by somebody who 1) knew how to do clever plot and consistent characterization, 2) cared a lot about both friends and family, and 3) had a PhD in psychology. Now go look through the twenty-plus books that Barnes has written and find it there, waiting for you. Her books are perfect pleasure-reading, I have enjoyed every single one. 

8. Favourite new fictional crush?

There’s no contest. It’s Lord Peter Wimsey. (I never said I had good taste in men.) But there is something attractive, isn’t there, about somebody who is incredibly capable but doesn’t take himself too seriously?

9. Newest favourite character?

The aforementioned Grand Sophy, probably.  Reading about her was kind of like watching the Miss Americana Taylor Swift documentary, in that it made me want to be brave.

10. A book that made you cry?

The two that made me cry hardest were rereads (Spinning Silver and Penderwicks in Spring), but The Great Divorce definitely had me weeping.  I cry at lots of things, though.  Chances are, if I’ve recommended it, it probably made me cry.

11. A book that made you happy?

The Ordinary Princess by M.M. Kaye!!

12. Most beautiful book you have bought or received this year?

uhhhh

Behold, what became of a large chunk of my savings from the year! (They’re beautiful to me) 

13. What book do you need to read by the end of the year?

See answer to (12).  But seriously, what I really oughta read by the end of the year is Jennifer the Damned and A Bloody Habit, because I’ve had them since Christmas. Oops.

tagging: @apesoformythoughts @shieldmaidenofsherwood @iamfitzwilliamdarcy​ @coruscanttojerusalem​ @casa-anachar���