Blood Tithe: Review

Interested in a detailed summary with read-alikes?? Check out my Annotation of this book.

This review is based on an advanced review copy (ARC) received through Reedsy Discovery. Plot Summary and Personal Thoughts below have also been published on that site.

Author: Tony Fuentes and C.S. Kading
Category/Type: Adult fiction
Genre: Fantasy
Publication Date: September 4, 2023
Number of Pages: 173 pages of story text; includes Acknowledgements and an Afterword.
Geographical Setting: A fantasy world full of protected cities, small agricultural and mining communities and a dangerous southern kingdom.
Time Period: Present day, although and history plays an important role.
Series (if applicable): This is book 2 in the Gothic series.

Plot Summary: A gripping horror-laced fantasy about a scribe on a journey to explore the world outside her library that takes a turn for the worse.

For readers who like their fantasy embedded with horror, the story of Scribe Lyric Wax’s prueba  will grab you from the start and keep you hooked to the end. Lyric Wax has always loved working with information, safely behind the walls of a well-protected city, of course. She has a library coveted role as Scribe, but to take the next step in her adult life, she must complete a prueba, or journey outside the city to experience the greater world. This quiet journey, with a driver and two protective Inquisitors, quickly becomes anything but when they happen upon a city splattered with blood and no sign of the killers. There are ghouls leftover from a gruesome war in the distant past, but this is unlike anything anyone has seen. Lyric cannot help but be drawn in as she travels with Voice of the god Hil, Esperanza Boyorquez, and Hand of Hil, Jalin Cortez, to discover the truth and hopefully save the people of the kingdom.

Fans of T. Kingfisher’s Nettle & Bone and other dark fairytales with unlikely un-heroes will enjoy Blood Tithe.
Content warnings (may containt SLIGHT SPOILERS): Gore, body horror, violence, human and animal death.
Representation:

• Non-English language is used throughout the story

PERSONAL THOUGHTS

WARNING: May contain spoilers

Readers are dropped into this story with a sweet but soon-to-be horrific scene in a small town. From the first page, I needed to know how the slaughter was going to be resolved. The propulsive action is what keeps the pages turning but there’s a nice ebb and flow to the pacing, readers won’t be overwhelmed by action. After discovering the destruction of the town, the team visits a peaceful mountaintop sanctuary, and though journeys contain danger, there are always moments of character reflection to take the edge off.

The world building is well-done but doesn’t take up many pages. It’s cleverly mixed into the characters’ journey as they travel, with history, creatures, and peoples being described as maps are reviewed and side characters are consulted. There’s just enough character development, primarily via internal monologues, for the reader to connect but not take away from the plot. As a fan of plot based books, I appreciated this. One downside is the third person narration, which sometimes makes it difficult to understand which viewpoint we’re following. The changing perspectives are consistent enough that the story remains cohesive.

Readers take heed: this book includes gore, violence, and death. I found the gore and violence important to the plot and did not feel that it was done in excess.

Final resting place: My ARC was digital so this resides in my Apple Books app library.

WHAT I’M READING NOW

My annotations and reviews are always running a bit (or more than a bit) behind what I’m actually reading so here’s a little bit of a teaser, if you will, for reviews to come.

Manslaughter Park by Tirza Price

The Fairest: Review

Interested in a detailed summary with read-alikes?? Check out my Annotation of this book.

This review is based on an advanced review copy (ARC) received through Reedsy Discovery. Plot Summary and Personal Thoughts below have also been published on that site.

Author: LeQuita Harrison
Category/Type: Young Adult fiction
Genre: Fantasy
Publication Date: August 1, 2023
Number of Pages: 351 pages of story text; includes Author’s Note.
Geographical Setting: A fantasy world, primarily the kingdom of Ardania.
Time Period: Present day, although flashbacks and history play an important role.
Series (if applicable): This is book 1 in The Fairest series.

Plot Summary: The stakes are high in The Fairest, an adventure fantasy with intentional world building and relatable characters.

It’s slavery or death for anyone with an imperfection in Ardania. The stakes are high for purple eyed Mageia as she struggles to do what is right in a kingdom willing to sacrifice anyone with a fault.

Mageia Unknown steals for what she and her family need to survive. The perfect Fair, who rule the kingdom, nearly sacrificed her as a child to the Diivine gods known because of her purple eyes. Since escaping that fate, she’s carved out a life with a found family of other rescued Strange. When the kingdom decides to sacrifice children on a holiday, Mageia knows she must intervene, even though it puts her own life at risk. Things don’t go according to plan and Mageia will be forced to face her past and forge precarious allegiances if she wants to survive and discover who, and what, she really is. What will happen when the truth threatens to topple her understanding of the world and everyone in it?

If you like your fantasy to keep you on the edge of your seat with protagonists who aren’t exactly heroes but enjoyable all the same, this is for you. Fans of heroines faced with impossible choices while struggling to accept their power, like Shadow and Bone or Children of Blood and Bone, will connect with the Fairest trilogy. 
Content warnings (may containt SLIGHT SPOILERS): Slavery, violence, ableism, human sacrifice, including of children. 
Representation:

• Disabled characters and characters of color are the protagonists in this book.

PERSONAL THOUGHTS

WARNING: May contain spoilers

The Fairest is an adventure fantasy with slow, intentional world building. The first in a trilogy, Harrison takes time to lay out details and characters. Readers will learn about the struggles between the perfect Fair, the imperfect Strange, and also that fairies exist in the first chapter, but it will be another 50 pages before the existence of another land of magical creatures is mentioned. Readers who take the leap into the unfamiliar will be rewarded with a well-developed cast of characters. You can’t help but fall for Mageia’s strength and ferocity, Dean’s tenderness, or Gris’s hopeful faith, and even Commander Shader is intriguing in his wickedness.

There are what appear to be grammatical errors scattered through the start of the text. The wrong tense or an adjective that doesn’t quite fit might be used; I urge readers to push through this. None of the errors detract from the story and the purpose will become clear when you meet a specific character. It’s a clever way to challenge notions of ability and disability.

Final resting place: My ARC was digital so this resides in my Notability app library.

WHAT I’M READING NOW

My annotations and reviews are always running a bit (or more than a bit) behind what I’m actually reading so here’s a little bit of a teaser, if you will, for reviews to come.

A Gathering of Shadows by V. E. Schwab (re-read)

Dyami and the Gobi Crystal: Review

Interested in a detailed summary with read-alikes?? Check out my Annotation of this book.

This review is based on an advanced review copy (ARC) received through Reedsy Discovery. Plot Summary and Personal Thoughts below have also been published on that site.

Author: MM Hoshaw
Category/Type: Middle Grade fiction
Genre: Fantasy
Publication Date: June 6, 2023
Number of Pages: 284 pages of story text; includes an Afterward with theological and language notes.
Geographical Setting: A variety of other planets in the fantasy world.
Time Period: Unknown; readers will follow Dyami over the course of many years.
Series (if applicable): This is book 1 in the Guardian of the Galaxy series.

Plot Summary: Dyami and the Gobi Crystal is a meandering adventure story based on theological teachings. It’s packed with plot twists, life lessons, and unforgettable characters.

Dyami, an angelic being assisting in the of archives on her home world, awaits her first assignment as a Watcher. Watchers live among communities on different planets maintaining neutrality as they record the histories of those around them. Dyami is thrilled to be assigned as a Watcher for a group known as the Dukán. She learns about the Dukán’s loving nature while training with her mentor, but a dark fate awaits the group whose lives she’s meant to record. This group has signed a contract with off-planet beings known as the Naga and the Dukán soon find themselves enslaved. As Dyami’s emotional connection with the Dukán grows more intense through the fear and anger they experience over their predicament, she is challenged by the neutrality required of her. To make matters worse, she is held captive and forced to do the Naga king’s evil bidding. Dyami struggles to make the right choices as she battles new emotions amid intense circumstances. Can she overcome her mistakes or will her actions lead to destruction and punishment?

Reminiscent of Kelly Barnhill’s creative parodies of real-world events, Dyami and the Gobi Crystal is an imaginative tale that is likely to initiate engaging conversations with young readers. 
Content warnings (may containt SLIGHT SPOILERS): Slavery, violence, and attempted rape. 
Representation:

• Taking place across planets allows the author to include diverse representation with a Black main character.

PERSONAL THOUGHTS

WARNING: May contain spoilers

Hoshaw’s book is full of compelling details and readers will instantly love Dyami, her good intentions, and her appetite for new experiences as a Watcher. Hoshaw grants a lot of space to details and explanations, making descriptions easy to understand while creating a lush fantasy world. The story of thinly veiled ill intentions and faulty contracts is a tale as old as time, allowing readers to easily make real world comparisons. The contract with the Naga reminded me of the treaties made with indigenous peoples across North America by European settlers. Dyami and the Watchers’ commitment to neutrality echoes the Prime Directive from Star Trek and made me consider the current onslaught of book banning attempts in the United States, bringing into question the supposed neutrality of libraries. What if neutrality is in itself a decision that favors one side over another?

While I was excited to explore these difficult themes in a safe fantasy space, the cohesiveness of the story is challenged by Hoshaw’s ambition. There was so much happening, many worlds, many characters, and an endless array of magical abilities, that it was hard to keep track of everything. Situations are too easily resolved by magic: Dyami is suddenly visited by her mentor and immediately feels better after being lonely because the Naga trapped her in a tower. When Dyami brings the Dukán pastries they are instantly happy again. These speedy resolutions make it difficult to suspend disbelief and take the conflict seriously. 

Hoshaw has a packed plot. The majority of the book focuses on the Dukán and Dyami’s struggles with the Naga, but finishes with Dyami facing individual challenges after a trial for the mistakes she made as Watcher. Though not unrelated, this felt like a different book tacked onto another story. 

Despite being confusing at times, this a story with rich world-building that asks readers to reconsider current and historical events while drawing upon traditional religious teachings to lead to a positive conclusion.

Final resting place: My ARC was digital so this resides in my Notability app library.

WHAT I’M READING NOW

My annotations and reviews are always running a bit (or more than a bit) behind what I’m actually reading so here’s a little bit of a teaser, if you will, for reviews to come.

A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab (re-read)

Inyo's Ring: Review

Interested in a detailed summary with read-alikes?? Check out my Annotation of this book.

This review is based on an advanced review copy (ARC) received through Reedsy Discovery. Plot Summary and Personal Thoughts below have also been published on that site.

Author: N. H. Schwabacher
Category/Type: Adult Fiction
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publication Date: May 22, 2023
Number of Pages: 289 pages of story text; includes a world map, Historical Notes, and Acknowledgements.
Geographical Setting: London, the Irish coast, Coruña, Spain.
Time Period: Late 1500s after Queen Elizabeth spurned King Philip’s marriage proposal; final chapter takes place in 2023.
Series (if applicable): This is book is not part of a series.

Plot Summary: A tale of pirates, love, war, and the strength of ordinary people lies within the pages of Inyo’s Ring. The charm of the book is the perspective of everyday life. Following events that befell the coasts of England, Ireland, and Spain in the late 1500s, the story begins with adult Inyo on a storm-battered Spanish Armada ship damaged by the English navy. Jumping back in time, readers follow the lives of Inyo, once a young orphan trained as a carpenter, sailor, and mapmaker, and Finley, granddaughter of the formidable Irish pirate queen Grace O’Malley. Chapters alternate between the lives of Finley and Inyo, as they grow up. When the shipwreck foreshadowed at the start come to pass, Inyo and Finley’s lives become intertwined with a growing love threatened by political conflicts.

Ultimately, this novel is a good read for anyone interested in Tudor, Irish, or Spanish history looking for a slice of life story with grand consequences.
Content warnings (may containt SLIGHT SPOILERS): Attempted rape, body gore, discussions of war, discussions of domestic abuse.
Representation:

• Trans side character

• Asexual side character

PERSONAL THOUGHTS

WARNING: May contain spoilers

I’m drawn to anything about the Tudors, and learning the events after Queen Elizabeth turned down King Philip’s marriage proposal and Irish clans threatened her hold on power was a delight. The chapters jump between Finley, Inyo, and also Sarah, the abused wife of an English governor in Galway, but the plot is easy follow with all their lives eventually overlapping. Readers experience political conflict through the eyes of people trying to find happiness in a harsh world. Understanding the characters by watching them grow up made them feel like family friends and I admit to shedding a happy tear at the end.

Despite the looming war, the pace of Inyo’s Ring is slow, even action-packed chapters dedicate multiple pages to the events, slowing them down to match the overall pace. Though chapter titles include dates, I followed the growth of Finely through her baby brother growing up, and Inyo through his growing responsibilities aboard his uncle’s ship and as a cartographer. I’m a fan of faster paced novels, but I can’t deny how realistic this storytelling method made everything seem. I was challenged by over explanation throughout the book. Chapters begin with lyrical descriptions of  emotions or scenery, but unfortunately the lyrical tone tapers off as each chapter wears on. The language becomes simplified, more like a list, until the next chapter begins. This made it difficult to continue reading at times. A bit of editing could maintain the slow, effective pace and improve flow.

Final resting place: My ARC was digital so this resides in my Apple Books app library.

WHAT I’M READING NOW

My annotations and reviews are always running a bit (or more than a bit) behind what I’m actually reading so here’s a little bit of a teaser, if you will, for reviews to come.

Georgie All Along by Kate Clayborn

A Lady for a Duke: Review

Interested in a detailed summary with read-alikes?? Check out my Annotation of this book.

““I would say”—he shaped the words close to her mouth, as if each of them was its own kiss, a private prayer—“I love you as a man loves a woman, but we both know that love is not bound by such narrow terms. So instead let me simply tell you that I love you. I love you with the unfading flame of my friendship. With every drop of ardor in my blood. I love you with my soul, as some reserve their faith for absent gods. I love you as I believe in what is right and hope for what is good. I love you with everything I am and ever was—and if you will only let me, with every day that comes, and every self that I could ever be.””

— Hall, 2022, p 341

Author: Alexis Hall
Category/Type: Adult Fiction
Genre: Romance
Subgenre: Regency / Historical
Publication Date: May 24, 2022
Number of Pages: 449 pages of story text; includes Content Guidance, Acknowledgements, and a Reading Group Guide
Geographical Setting: British countryside and London
Time Period: Regency
Series (if applicable): This book is not part of a series

Plot Summary: Alexis Hall strikes again with a delightful, fun, and sexy tale that challenges the conventions of Regency romance stories.

Thought to be dead after the battle of Waterloo, Viola Carroll is finally living as her true self and serving as a lady’s companion for her sister-in-law, Lady Marleigh. Viola’s plan to fly under the radar and live a quiet life is disrupted when a concerning letter arrives from the sister of her former best friend, the Duke of Gracewood. Gracewood is not only suffering from the traumas of war, but also can’t move on after the death of his best friend.

Lady Marleigh and Viola rush to help Gracewood recover and bring his sister into society. Shortly after they arrive, Gracewood becomes enamored with Viola, the strong, beautiful woman who refuses to back down in the face of his shenanigans. Viola may have reciprocating feelings but she’s vowed to keep her distance so her secrets aren’t revealed. Are Viola and Gracewood willing to lose everything all over again, throwing convention to the wind to have a relationship?

Readers will find themselves rooting for and falling in love with Viola and Gracewood, even as society tries to tell them their love is impossible.
Content warnings (may containt SLIGHT SPOILERS): Discussions of war, trauma, sexism, ableism, suicidal ideation, use of a deadname and pronouns for a trans character (more details about these warnings are listed in the Content Guidance section at the start of the novel)
Representation:

• Disabled main character

• Trans main character

““Breakfast is the best meal of the day—as it should be, to console one for having to get out of bed.””

— Hall, 2022, p 53

PERSONAL THOUGHTS

WARNING: May contain spoilers

A trans Regency romance? Count me in!

Oh wow! This was a lovely, charming, slow-burn-with-some-steam romance and I enjoyed it even more than I thought I would. I picked it up mostly out of curiosity and ended up feeling that it was an excellent addition to the genre. Viola's existence in the Regency era was entirely plausible and after finishing I was wondering why we don't have more stories like this? Clearly there had to have been more women and men like her at this time; Hall leaves us believing that romances like this can, should, and did exist and I want more of them.

While Viola's coming into her own true self is a story that feels extreme, it becomes more believable when looked at as a metaphor for what many trans people face. I love that she's not out to fix Gracewood and be a queer hero or martyr, she's a heroine simply because she accepts him and works with him as he is.

The initial sex scene is both awkward and tender which makes it real and lovely. As a queer person outside the gender binary dating a cis straight man, I appreciated the reinforcement that Gracewood does not alter his sexual orientation by loving a transwoman, which also further validates Viola's existence.

Character development for Viola and Gracewood was well done. There are some fantastic side characters in this novel as well. Gracewood's sister, Miranda, has a wild misadventure that will remind readers of Lydia Bennet and, just like Lizzie and Darcy, this leads our protagonists to their happily ever after. Lady Marleigh and Badger and their son Little Bartholemew are simply wonderful, as are Viola's sarcastic comments about them. The scene where Lady Marleigh and Badger eavesdrop on Gracewood and Viola had me laughing out loud. I think anyone would want them for brother and sister-in-law and the fact that Gracewood just rolls with it is great and really gives you a sense of his character, almost more than Viola's descriptions of him.

I am a huge fan of the new trend in romances with flawed characters (although Viola is only flawed by her doubt and oppressive society, she's a rather perfect character otherwise) worthy of love that you can't help but fall for as a reader.

Overall this book left me thrilled that Alexis Hall is such a prolific author because that means I’ll have many books to enjoy in the future.

Final resting place: This book is on my shelf between By the Book by Jasmine Guillory and Emperor of the Eight Islands by Lian Hearn.

WHAT I’M READING NOW

My annotations and reviews are always running a bit (or more than a bit) behind what I’m actually reading so here’s a little bit of a teaser, if you will, for reviews to come.

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna

““I suppose,” he said, “there’s just...ourselves. The capacity in each of us to love more than we hate, do more good than we do ill, help more than we harm. Is such understanding really divine? Or is it simply human?””

— Hall, 2022, p 86

A Lady for a Duke: Annotation

*For my personal thoughts on A Lady for a Duke check out my review of the book.

““Damn the world. The world told you that you had to live the life it shaped for you, and you defied it. The world told me that I had to be as my father was, and I defied it, or am trying to. We can make our own world, Viola, with our own rules.””

— Hall, 2022, p 269

Author: Alexis Hall
Title: A Lady for a Duke
Category/Type: Adult Fiction
Genre: Romance
Subgenre: Regency / Historical
Publication Date: May 24, 2022
Number of Pages: 449 pages of story text; includes Content Guidance, Acknowledgements, and a Reading Group Guide
Geographical Setting: British countryside and London
Time Period: Regency
Series (if applicable): This book is not part of a series

Plot Summary: Alexis Hall strikes again with a delightful, fun, and sexy tale that challenges the conventions of Regency romance stories.

Thought to be dead after the battle of Waterloo, Viola Carroll is finally living as her true self and serving as a lady’s companion for her sister-in-law, Lady Marleigh. Viola’s plan to fly under the radar and live a quiet life is disrupted when a concerning letter arrives from the sister of her former best friend, the Duke of Gracewood. Gracewood is not only suffering from the traumas of war, but also can’t move on after the death of his best friend in battle.

Lady Marleigh and Viola rush to help Gracewood recover and bring his sister into society. Shortly after they arrive Gracewood becomes enamored with Viola, the strong, beautiful woman who refuses to back down from his shenanigans. Viola may have reciprocating feelings but she’s vowed to keep her distance so her secrets aren’t revealed. Are Viola and Gracewood willing to lose everything all over again, throwing convention to the wind to have a relationship?
Content warnings (may containt SLIGHT SPOILERS): Discussions of war, trauma, sexism, ableism, suicidal ideation, use of a deadname and pronouns for a trans character (more details about these warnings are listed in the Content Guidance section at the start of the novel)
Subject Headings: Romance - Historical - Regency; Romance - LGBT - Transgender; LGBT - Transgender; Historical - General; Great Britain History Regency, 1811-1820 Fiction
Representation:

• Disabled main character

• Trans main character

Appeal/Characteristics of Romance Fiction

• Emotionally satisfying, happy ending- This book has an endearing “happily ever after” ending.

• Characters are vividly, if quickly drawn. Men are powerful, confident, and slightly dangerous, women are strong, bright, and independent- All the characters are vivid and well-developed even if they are quickly sketched. The importance of each character within the story is clear to the reader.
  This book offers some challenges to the tradition hero and heroine roles:

  • War has left Gracewood disabled and he is struggling from PTSD. While he strives to be the stereotypical hero and man of the era, he has some limitations.

  • Viola is bright, strong, and independent but still becoming comfortable with her position as a female. As a trans woman, she has lived experiences that differ from the traditional historic heroine and allow her to aid Gracewood in ways that stereotypical heroines might not be able to.

• A misunderstanding between the protagonists followed by a satisfactory resolution of the romantic relationship- The misunderstanding has to do with Viola’s past and, while the challenge does separate the romantic leads, this happens early on and they reunited before the middle of the book. The typical third act misunderstanding involves another character with Viola and Gracewood embarking on a daring rescue attempt. The couple is happy together at the end of the book.

• Engaging details of time and place attract readers, and these historical, cultural, and social particulars often frame the stories- The Regency setting is well-developed and described in detail. Social particulars frame the story and conventions of the time challenge Viola to live as she truly wishes and present a struggle for the romantic duo.

• Love on all levels- There are many levels of love in the story outside of the main romance. There is the love Viola and Gracewood feel for their siblings as well as the love Viola’s brother feels for his wife. There is also the past friend-love that Marleigh and Gracewood felt for each other which is frequently referenced.

• Well-developed and interesting secondary characters- Gracewood’s sister as well as Viola’s brother and sister-in-law are well developed and interesting enough to be impactful to the plot.

  3 terms that best describe this book:

• Heartfelt

• Sexy

• Adventurous

Fiction Read-alikes

• The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics (book 1 in the Feminine Pursuits series) by Olivia Waite- when Lucy Mulcheney is hired to translate an astronomical guide from French to English, she is not thinking about romance but nonetheless finds herself attracted to her new employer and it seems the feelings are mutual. Readers of A Lady for a Duke will likely find this F/F Regency romance appealing.

• Peter Darling by Austin Chant - After a decade in the real world Peter Pan, formerly Wendy Darling, has returned to Neverland. Only, it doesn’t seem like anyone needs him. No one is excited to see him… no one except Captain Hook, that is. This trans romance retelling of Peter Pan is likely to be appealing for fans of the trans romance in A Lady for a Duke.

• A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske - Colorful and upbeat Robin Blyth is the new magical liaison for the Prime Minister, though he had to idea magic existed until his first day on the job. Bookish and uptight magician Edwin Courcey is less than thrilled with his new, non-magical co-worker. When Robin is cursed on his way home from work, the two are thrown together on a magical adventure to take down evil forces, an adventure that might reveal that Edwin and Robin have more in common than they first thought.
  Though set in Edwardian England, this queer fantasy romance has a similar level of adventure and steaminess, as well as a peek into queer lives in 19th-century England, as A Lady for a Duke.

Non-Fiction Read-alikes

• Born Trans: Three Gender Stories from Nineteenth-Century France by Rachel Mesch- though the focus of this book is France and not England, it does explore the lived experiences of trans people in the nineteenth-century. Through the stories of three famous gender-nonconformists, the author details how trans people represented themselves and the challenges they faced in the nineteenth-century.

• Jane Austen’s England by Roy and Lesley Adkins - this tome details the true historical details of Regency England. While Austen’s work, as well as Hall’s focuses on the well off, this volume also explores what daily life would have been like across the class spectrum. Readers wanting to know more about the setting of A Lady for a Duke and its source material will find this volume enlightening.

• Female Husbands: A Trans Story by Jen Manion- Though the focus is on female to male trans people, this history book looks at trans marriage history from the colonial era through World War I. For readers wanting to better understand queer and trans lives in the past, this is a helpful resource.

Citations

Characteristics of Romance Fiction taken from

Wyatt, N. and Saricks, J. (2019). The readers' advisory guide to genre fiction. Third edition. ALA Editions.

The Murder of Mr. Wickham: Review

Interested in a detailed summary with read-alikes?? Check out my Annotation of this book.

Author: Claudia Gray
Category/Type: Adult Fiction
Genre: Mystery
Subgenre(s): Historical / Regency
Publication Date: May 3, 2022
Number of Pages: 379 pages of story text; includes an Author’s Note, Acknowledgements, and a reading group guide
Geographical Setting: The English countryside
Time Period: Late Regency era
Series (if applicable): This book is part of an unnamed series

Plot Summary: Let’s face it, no one really liked Wickham anyway…

Especially not after what he did to Mr. Darcy and the Bennet family…

Could that a possible motive for murder?

The Knightleys (you might remember Emma, perhaps?) are throwing a house party and all their dearest friends, who just so happen to be Jane Austen’s beloved leads, are invited. Just as everyone is ready to settle in for some fun and relaxation, one Mr. Wickham crashes the party. Besides being endlessly annoying, it seems everyone has a reason to dislike the man. It doesn’t help that Wickham’s arrival coincides with missing jewelry, blackmail, and bad weather. That is until the stormy evening when he’s found dead in the gallery. When everyone seems to have a motive, how will anyone determine whodunnit?

Luckily, Lizzy and Darcy brought along their oldest son, Jonathan, who has an eye for details and a knack for deduction. Who better to team up with Jonathan than the intelligent and personable Juliet Tilney, attending in lieu of her parents Catherine and Henry? Trapped at the Knightley estate, they work together to track clues, interview suspects, and uncover secrets. It’s hopefully only a matter of time before they figure out who the murderer is, otherwise an innocent person will go to jail.

Fall back in love with your favorite Austen characters in this witty and suspenseful Regency-era murder mystery.

Content warnings (may contain SLIGHT SPOILERS): Ableism, violence, death, death of a loved one, death of child, homophobia (due primarily to the time period)

Representation:

• Well-developed lead on the autistic spectrum

• Queer romance (side character of a side character)

PERSONAL THOUGHTS

WARNING: May contain spoilers

Mystery is not my usual genre, but it appears that the way to woo me is to involve Jane Austen’s characters in the crime and its investigation. I had so much fun reading this!

Claudia Gray is a delightful chameleon of an author. I know her from her work in the Star Wars canon where her books melt nicely into the world and the work of the other sci-fi authors. From the first few pages of this book, I felt like I had fallen right back into the pages and world of Jane Austen. The language, pace, and wit mimicks Austen's while remaining Gray's own creation. After the murder takes place (it's not a spoiler, it's in the title), I found myself concerned for the well-being of my favorite characters-- the Darcys and the Brandons.

While Miss Tilney is likely meant to mimic Austen’s heroines, for me Jonathan Darcy was the real show-stopper. He’s an extreme version of our beloved Fitzwilliam Darcy. The description of his personality quirks and habits lead me to believe he is on the autistic spectrum. I don't know that he's a character Austen would have or could have created, yet for as much as he stands out, he also fits into this Regency-set story where doing things right, saying the right things, and being proper are how all social interactions are navigated. The narration for the novel is third person but changes points of view throughout the story. Gray's character development skills shine when readers are viewing the world from Jonathan's entirely sensible perspective.

This book was energetic and an excellent way to break into the Mystery genre. I do recommend everyone reads the Author's Note preceeding the story. It helps set the stage and provide understanding for how these characters could have come together and where we are in the timeline of their fictional lives.

I just learned there is a sequel coming in May 2023 and I can’t wait to get back to these characters and this world!

Final resting place: This book is on my shelf between Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden and Matrix by Lauren Groff.

WHAT I’M READING NOW

My annotations and reviews are always running a bit (or more than a bit) behind what I’m actually reading so here’s a little bit of a teaser, if you will, for reviews to come.

A Rogue by Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean

The Murder of Mr. Wickham: Annotation

*For my personal thoughts on The Murder of Mr. Wickham, check out my review of the book.

“What is more improper, she argued toward the imaginary versions of her parents, pursing the truth of a murder, or allowing the murderer to go free?
...
I have corresponded with an unmarried man, Juliet thought. How unladylike.
How unfortunate for public morals that being unladylike feels so...exciting.”

— Gray, 2022, p 121

Author: Claudia Gray
Title: The Murder of Mr. Wickham
Category/Type: Adult Fiction
Genre: Mystery
Subgenre(s): Historical / Regency
Publication Date: May 3, 2022
Number of Pages: 379 pages of story text; includes an Author’s Note, Acknowledgements, and a reading group guide
Geographical Setting: The English countryside
Time Period: Late Regency era
Series (if applicable): This book is part of an unnamed series

Plot Summary: C’mon, no one really like Wickham anyway…especially not after what he did to Mr. Darcy and the Bennet family… is that a possible motive for murder?

The Knightleys (you might remember Emma, perhaps?) are throwing a house party and all their dearest friends, who just so happen to be Jane Austen’s beloved leads, are all invited. Just as everyone is ready to settle in for some fun and relaxation, one Mr. Wickham crashes the party. Besides being endlessly annoying, it seems everyone has a reason to dislike the man. It doesn’t help that Wickham’s arrival coincides with missing jewelry, blackmail, and bad moods. That is until the stormy evening when he’s found dead in the gallery. When everyone seems to have a motive, how will anyone determine whodunnit?

Luckily, Lizzy and Darcy brought along their oldest son, Jonathan, who has an eye for details and deduction. Who better to team up with Jonathan than the intelligent and chatty Juliet Tilney, attending in lieu of her parents Catherine and Henry? Trapped at the Knightley estate, they work together to track clues, interview suspects, and uncover secrets. It’s only a matter of time before they figure out who the murderer is.

Fall back in love with your favorite Austen characters in this witty and suspenseful Regency-era murder mystery.

Content warnings (may contain SLIGHT SPOILERS): Ableism, violence, death, death of a loved one, death of child, homophobia (due primarily to the time period)
Subject Headings: Mystery & Detective - Historical, Romance - Historical - Regency, Adaptations & Pastiche, Jane Austen Adaptations

Representation:

• Well-developed lead on the autistic spectrum

• Queer romance

Appeal/Characteristics of Mystery (may contain SPOILERS)

• An imbalance of justice drives the plot. Readers understand “whodunit” and why by the book’s conclusion- There are several imbalances of justice driving the plot of this book. Some are minor, such as missing jewelry, but the major one is murder; murder cannot go unpunished. By the end of the book readers know who committed the murder and why.

• The story focuses on the investigator or an investigative team. Mysteries are often written as a series, following the investigator through several cases. Secondary characters, whether suspects or supporting characters in the investigation, play an important role in the appeal of the Mystery and may also be series characters- The story focuses on the investigative team of Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney. While there are scenes featuring other characters and their viewpoints, the unfolding of the investigation is the primary focus.

  This book is part of a series, the investigators will team up again to solve another murder in a book scheduled to release in May 2023, The Late Mrs. Willoughby.

  The secondary characters are very important and may be the reason many readers pick up this book: they include the leading couples from each Jane Austen novel.

• The frame in which the Mystery is set—whether a physical location or fascinating background details—plays a crucial role in its appeal- Set on the Knightley estate in the late Regency era in Jane Austen’s English countryside, the physical location is very important and likely a draw for many readers.

• The tone of Mysteries ranges from dark and gritty to lighthearted and witty with a multitude of variations in between- While there are many dark moments throughout the novel, overall the story is witty and somewhat lighthearted as readers get a glimpse into the lives of some beloved historical literary characters. The book ends on a heartfelt note.

• Pacing is compelling, sometimes slowed by details of time and place, but always moving inexorably toward the reestablishment of equilibrium- While this book is not fast-paced, it moves along at a steady speed. When chapters explore the point of view of secondary characters, there are always details revealed to the readers that could be important for the investigators; the pace of the plot never slows.

• Amateur detectives are not licensed to work a case, nor are they employed by the police force. Instead they are everyday characters (or aristocratic ones) who somehow stumble upon, or are drawn into, an investigation - Jonathan and Juliet are amateurs who stumble upon a murder in the dead of night. There situation, what is basically house arrest required from the local authority, forces them to become investigators.

• The setting of Historicals must be immersive and dimensional—and, above all, convincing -From clothing to décor to manners and speech, this setting evokes Regency-era England convincingly.

  3 terms that best describe this book:

• Witty

• Suspenseful

• Energetic

Relevant Non-Fiction Works and Authors

• Jane Austen’s England by Roy and Lesley Adkins - this tome details the true historical details of Regency England. While Austen’s work focuses on the well off, this volume also explores what daily life would have been like across the class spectrum. Readers wanting to know more about the setting of The Murder of Mr. Wickham and its source material will find this volume enlightening.

• A Brief Guide to Jane Austen: The Life and Times of the World’s Favorite Author by Charles Jennings - for readers new to the world of Jane Austen, this book is a handy guide. It provides a biography of the author as well as an overview of her complete works and some background information about the Regency era.

• The Maul and the Pear Tree by P. D. James and T. A. Critchley - In 1811, Londoners were shocked by seven brutal murders that took place in the dock area of the city. Eventually known as the Radcliffe Highway murders, a possibly innocent man became the prime suspect and ultimately killed himself in his jail cell. In this book, a mystery writer and police historian team up to investigate the case details of this real life Regency murder mystery.

3 Relevant Fiction Works and Authors

• Death Comes to Pemberley by P. D. James - The character everyone loves to hate has been murdered before… This novel offers another story about how Wickham met his untimely end. Unfortunately, this time it happened on the grounds of Pemberley and the Darcys must determine what happened. The layered plot and characters’ secrets will be familiar elements for fans of The Murder of Mr. Wickham.

• Murder at Mansfield Park by Lynn Shepherd - This book reimagines Fanny Price as a conniving character who meets a tragic end at Mansfield Park. Enter Mary Crawford to solve the case. Readers who are looking to explore other ways Jane Austen’s novels have been retold will enjoy this twist that puts a side character on center stage.

• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - Dive into where the trouble with Mr. Wickham began in Austen’s classic tale. Will intelligent Elizabeth Bennet and stubborn Darcy be able to overcome their differences and find love or will Mr. Wickham charm his way between them?

Reading the Whole Collection

• Readers who enjoyed The Murder of Mr. Wickham and want to know where it all began but don’t have the patience to read Austen’s novel may enjoy the movie adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.

• Readers who enjoyed the reimagining of historical literary characters and their authors will also enjoy Glass Town: The Imaginary World of the Brontës, by Isabel Greenberg. This fictional graphic novel follows the adventures of the Brontë siblings as they build an imaginary world known as Glass Town.

Citations

Characteristics of Mystery novels taken from

Wyatt, N. and Saricks, J. (2019). The readers' advisory guide to genre fiction. Third edition. ALA Editions.

The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea: Review

Interested in a detailed summary with read-alikes?? Check out my Annotation of this book.

Author: Maggie Tokuda-Hall
Category/Type: Young Adult Fiction
Genre: Fantasy
Subgenre(s): Historical Fantasy
Publication Date: May 5, 2020
Number of Pages: 357 pages of story text; plus a prologue, epilogue, and Acknowledgements
Geographical Setting: A fantasy kingdom as well as the high seas
Time Period: Not specified but likely the late Middle Ages in Japanese seas
Series (if applicable): This book is part of an unnamed series

Plot Summary: After struggling to survive their childhood, Florian, formerly Flora, has finally secured safety for themselves and their brother by murdering an abducted aristocrat. The murder allowed Florian to join the pirate ranks aboard the Dove, a ship that transports passengers around the Floating Islands, but more often than not, abducts the passengers and sells them into slavery to turn a better profit.

Florian needs to complete just another job or two and they’ll have enough money to support themselves and their brother on land, leaving the pirate life far behind. But Florian never could have imagined the next run would include a spy, mutiny, and the lovely and smart Lady Evelyn Hasegawa. Tasked with keeping Evelyn safe, Florian instead falls in love, leading to daring escapes, magical rescues, along with the help of mythical creatures and kind-hearted pirates.

This is a fantastic epic adventure with love guiding the way in a world where nothing is as it seems.

Content warnings (may contain SLIGHT SPOILERS): Child neglect, homophobia, sexism, violence, murder, discussions of slavery

Representation:

• Well-developed BIPOC main and supporting characters

• Queer romance

• Characters across the gender spectrum

“The men of the Dove knew she was a girl. Or had been one. But after the captain had ordered her to kill — and she had, unflinchingly — she earned the respect to be something better than a girl. Something safe. From then on, the crew had only ever called her Florian. ”

— Tokuda-Hall, 2020, p 19

PERSONAL THOUGHTS

WARNING: May contain spoilers

This was a fun and magical story (I know, obviously!). It was slow to start, taking about 100 to pages to pick up, but it was worth sticking it out and eventually the story becomes an action-packed race to the end with several unexpected turns.

There is definitely a lot packed into the book with multiple points-of-view and subplots including backstories for the main characters and some of the supporting cast. While this might sound confusing, it’s not difficult to follow and the backstory serves the additional purpose of building the world and magical system for the book.

I enjoyed the twist on fairytales/folklore and Tokuda-Hall managed to weave beauty and hope into the sadness and rough edges that surround the characters. Additionally, I loved the love story with the sea, which allowed for contemplation on the various types of love.

Although there is a sequel coming (The Siren, the Song, and the Spy), the story for Flora/Florian and Evelyn wraps up cleanly. I would say the couple gets a happy ending, but some might argue with that. Given that most major plot elements are wrapped up by the end of this book, I'm curious which characters and subplots the next book in the series will follow.

Final resting place: This book is on my shelf between The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan and The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings box set by J. R. R. Tolkien.

““My point is not about the physical merits of books. But about what they contain...”
”Secrets?”
”No, better. Stories. There’s freedom in stories, you know. We read them and we become something else. We imagine different lives, and while we turn the pages, we get to live them. To escape the lot we’ve been given.””

— Tokuda-Hall, 2020, p 44

WHAT I’M READING NOW

My annotations and reviews are always running a bit (or more than a bit) behind what I’m actually reading so here’s a little bit of a teaser, if you will, for reviews to come.

A Rogue by Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean

The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea: Annotation

“We don’t just read to imagine better lives. We read to be introduced to all kinds of lives. Any kind. Not just for ourselves, but for everyone around us. To understand others better. It’s escape, and it’s also a way to become more connected to everyone around you. There’s power in that, you know. In understanding. It’s like magic.”

— Tokuda-Hall, 2022, p 45

*For my personal thoughts on The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea, check out my review of the book.

Author: Maggie Tokuda-Hall
Title: The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea
Category/Type: Young Adult Fiction
Genre: Fantasy
Subgenre(s): Historical Fantasy
Publication Date: May 5, 2020
Number of Pages: 357 pages of story text; plus a prologue, epilogue, and Acknowledgements
Geographical Setting: A fantasy kingdom and the high seas
Time Period: Not specified but likely the late Middle Ages in Japanese seas
Series (if applicable): This book is part of an unnamed series

Plot Summary: After struggling to survive their childhood, Florian, formerly Flora, has finally secured safety for themselves and their brother by murdering an abducted aristocrat. The murder allowed Florian to join the pirate ranks aboard the Dove, a ship that transports passengers around the Floating Islands but more often than not, abducts the passengers and sells them into slavery to turn a better profit.

Florian needs to complete just another job or two and then they’ll be able to support themselves and their brother on land, leaving the pirate life far behind. But Florian never could have imagined the next run would include a spy, mutiny, and the lovely and smart Lady Evelyn Hasegawa. Tasked with keeping Lady Evelyn safe, Florian instead falls in love, leading to daring escapes, magical rescues, and calling upon the help of mythical creatures and kind-hearted pirates.

Content warnings (may contain SLIGHT SPOILERS): Child neglect, homophobia, sexism, violence, murder, discussions of slavery
Subject Headings: Fantasy- Historical, Mermaids, Romance - LGBT, Action & Adventure - Pirates, Arranged Marriage, Magic, Ocean Travel Fiction

Representation:

• Well-developed BIPOC main and supporting characters

• Queer romance

• Characters across the gender spectrum

Appeal/Characteristics of Fantasy (may contain SPOILERS)

• Detailed settings depict another world, often located on Earth, but almost always set in out-of-time, in past times, or invisible to most people- The Floating Islands, as well as the sea, are richly developed with their own governments, customs, cultures, and beliefs. This is Earth, but a mythical and magical version of it.

• Magic frames the story- While most characters are not magical, mermaids and a sentient ocean are real in this world, setting the stage for the story.

• Story line features good vs. evil. Story line also explores ways to discover one’s own potential, magical or otherwise- Although one of the main characters, Florian, is morally grey and a pirate of sorts, it’s clear that Florian and Evelyn are team Good and the Pirates and supporters of Evelyn’s father are Bad. Florian and Evelyn must both discover their own potential in order to survive.

• Characters, often attain special magical gifts. Even good characters will find themselves challenged, both physically and ethically. Characters may include mythical creatures as well as more mundane human ones- Characters in this story have or obtain magical gifts by the end but any more detail on this topic would spoil the plot.
  Evelyn, Florian, and some of the supporting characters are challenged physically, morally, and emotionally throughout the story and have hurdles to overcome in order to succeed or to help others succeed.
  As mentioned above, the ocean is sentient and mermaids are a key element in the story.

• Books start slowly as the author sets the scene, presents the challenge, and introduces the cast- This book does take a bit of time for the action to get going as readers learn more about the characters and their pasts, which also introduces the world in which the story takes place.

• From the stylized language to the use of jargon, language and style run the gamut. Language relates verbal pictures of characters and landscape, and illustrations sometimes enhance both adult and children’s Fantasy- There are no illustrations but chapter 1 kicks off with a map and the book contains lush descriptions that allow readers to imagine the islands visited, the sea, the ship the Dove, as well as all the characters in the book.

• These books stress the historical times in which they are set- While the time period is vague, it is clear this book is set in a pre-electricity, pre-colonial Asia and time is taken to describe machines that work by pulleys systems and other elements that set this tale in the past.

  3 terms that best describe this book:

• Magical

• Sweeping fantasy

• Heartfelt

Relevant Non-Fiction Works and Authors

• Mermaids: The Myths, Legends & Lore by Skye Alexander- this books explores the history of mermaids, their origins, and lore. Divided into two parts, Alexander first looks at the origins of mermaids and then tours the world examining mermaid lore from the British Isles and Europe to Asia and Africa.

• Unruly Places: Lost Spaces, Secret Cities, and Other Inscrutable Geographies by Alastair Bonnett- this book explores historical places with wild histories that have been lost to time. The historical elements and interesting geographies and cultures in The Mermaid, the Witch, and Sea will prepare readers to explore Bonnett’s real-life places with equally interesting pasts.

3 Relevant Fiction Works and Authors

• Skin of the Sea (first book in a series) by Natasha Bowen - Simidele is a Miami Wata, or mermaid, who rescues the souls of the drowned. Under no circumstances should she save the living, but she does just that when a young man is thrown overboard from a slave ship. To set things right, Simidele must return the human to his home and then journey to the Supreme Creator. Similar to The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea, this story weaves history and African folklore together for a romantic and fantastical adventure.

• A Clash of Steel: A Treasure Island Remix (Remixed Classics book 1) by C. B. Lee - In this retelling, Xiang dreams of adventure but is kept safe at home until she meets Anh, who discovers that Xiang’s father was part of a group of pirates known as The Dragon Fleet. Together they embark on adventure across the South China Sea as they search for the Head of the Dragon, leader of the pirates.

• Mythic Journeys: Retold Myths and Legends (anthology) edited by Paula Guran - An epic journey is at the core of many legends told throughout human history as well as The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea. This book gathers retellings and reimaginings of myths and legends from around the world crafted by some of today’s top fantasy authors including Neil Gaiman and Maria Dhavana Headley.

Reading the Whole Collection

• Readers who enjoyed The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea may enjoy the The Girl from the Sea, a graphic novel about a teen, Morgan, who is struggling to find herself after her parents’ divorce. One stormy evening she falls into the sea and is rescued by a quirky selkie she can’t help but fall for.

• Readers may also enjoy Tidesong by Wendy Xu. In this graphic novel, Sophie is struggling to learn and control her magic and accidentally traps a sea dragon prince in a human body. She must learn more about her powers, her potential, and the world in order to set things right.

Citations

Characteristics of Fantasy novels taken from

Wyatt, N. and Saricks, J. (2019). The readers' advisory guide to genre fiction. Third edition. ALA Editions.

Book of Night: Review

Interested in a detailed summary with read-alikes?? Check out my Annotation of this book.

“Charlie had spent so many years in it. Robbing libraries, museums, antiquarian book fairs. Lied and charmed and conned, picked pockets and locks, and even once trapped a Blight in an onyx binding box. She might not have been magic, but she’d cross-pollinated the magical world like a bee.”

— Black, 2022, p 34.

REVIEW

Author: Holly Black
Category/Type: Adult Fiction
Genre: Fantasy
Subgenre(s): Urban fantasy
Publication Date: May 3, 2022
Number of Pages: 306 pages of story text including a prologue; plus acknowledgements
Geographical Setting: Alternate suburban and rural Massachusetts (the Berkshire Mountains)
Time Period: present day with some flashbacks to the past
Series (if applicable): This book is not part of a series
Content warnings (may contain SLIGHT SPOILERS): Domestic violence, gore, death of a loved one, sexism, violence.

Summary: In her adult debut, author Holly Black takes us to a gritty alternate New England, reminiscent of the snow dirtied by car exhaust that hasn’t quite melted in early spring. Here shadows can be altered, traded, and even become sentient, for better or worse. Those who seek more powerful magic need to steal knowledge from books and to steal those books, they need a thief…

Charlie Hall used to steal magical books and objects for magicians with questionable motives, but she’s put that life behind her and works at the local dive bar. Now she has a decent, if shadowless boyfriend, and is trying to help her younger sister, who is desperate for magic, stay out of trouble and go college. That is, Charlie’s troubled past would be behind her if she hadn’t seen that creepy shadow hovering over a horribly mutilated corpse on her way home from work the other night, and if her boyfriend hadn’t recently disappeared.

Set in a dark and dangerous world with a cast of morally grey characters, Charlie gets convinced that doing one last job will help her save the people she loves. When she was in the game she was good, the best maybe, but she now might be in over her head dealing with forces and secrets she could never imagine existed.

PERSONAL THOUGHTS

WARNING: May contain spoilers

I didn't realize at the start that this would be more of a crime thriller than a fantasy, but I still enjoyed the reading experience. I was able to predict the ending about halfway through the book so, as someone who doesn't usually read thrillers, I would have liked more of a surprise or cunning plot twist.

It was interesting for the hero to be a criminal and to be able to use her life in crime to defeat evil forces. Characters like this don’t often get portrayed in a relatable, an positive light very often. This defies the usual trope of a protagonist being morally flawed but overall good. Charlie is unapologetically a thief with a messy past. She often purposely makes the wrong decisions even when she has ample opportunity to walk away. As someone who is usually villain averse, I probably wouldn't haven't picked up this book had I know this in advance, but I’m glad I didn’t because I enjoyed connecting with Charlie; Black does a good job of writing her understandably.

The magical system was only lightly developed though a lot of effort was put into making it blend in with the real world. Perhaps more time and description could have been dedicated to fleshing out an engaging or more believable magical system. Still, as a stand alone novel it did well enough and didn't engage me so much that I finished desperately hoping for more books in this world. I won't be disppointed by the lack of a sequel but am also not at all disappointed for having had this reading experience.

This novel is joining a group of books that have magical crime with dire consequences that revolve around the importance of books and artifacts and the sharing of information; V. E. Schwab’s Shades of Magic series comes to mind here. As a bookbinder, I of course love this. I also find it interesting that books remain such a fixation as a repository of the sacred and profane when we have so many other ways to share information now.

While I won’t be rushing out to pick up more of Holly Black’s works, I would recommend this book to others. Ultimately I thought it was a creative blend of genres and characters that make you question who is good, who gets to save the day, and what a happy ending can look like.

“If she was going to get murdered, she’d like to do it in Paris. Or Tokyo.
...
You can’t quit, Balthazar had told her when she informed him she wasn’t taking jobs. You’re too good. This is the only thing you’re good at. Sometimes Charlie worried he was right about that second part.”

— Black, 2022, p 39

Image of the front cover of Book of Night without the dust jacket

Endsheets on the Book of Night

Under the dust jacket

Tor gets kudos once again for the book design under the dust jacket. The foil stamping of the moon, sun, and star elements, mimics an element on the dust jacket and can easily be recognized as a reference to the titular Book of Night. The endsheets are good as well, meant to reflect the cover of the old and coveted magical book the story circles around.

Final resting place: In my personal library between The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor and Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen.

WHAT I’M READING NOW

My annotations and reviews are always running a bit (or more than a bit) behind what I’m actually reading so here’s a little teaser, if you will, for reviews to come.

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

“CATALOG NOTE: Sotheby’s does not endorse carrying out any of the rituals in this book and will ask the buyer to sign papers indemnifying Sotheby’s from any and all related damages.
Bidding begins at 520,000 GBP.”

— Black, 2022, p 39

Book of Night: Annotation

“Charlie Hall has never found a lock she couldn’t pick, a book she couldn’t steal, or a bad decision she wouldn’t make.”

— Black, 2022, dust jacket

*For my personal thoughts on Book of Night, check out my review of the book.

Author: Holly Black
Title: Book of Night
Category/Type: Adult Fiction
Genre: Fantasy
Subgenre(s): Urban fantasy
Publication Date: May 3, 2022
Number of Pages: 306 pages of story text including a prologue; plus acknowledgements
Geographical Setting: Alternate suburban and rural Massachusetts (the Berkshire Mountains)
Time Period: present day with some flashbacks to the past
Series (if applicable): This book is not part of a series

Plot Summary: Charlie used to steal magical books and objects for magicians with questionable motives, but she’s put that life behind her and works at the local dive bar. Now she has a decent, if shadowless boyfriend, and is trying to help her younger sister, who is desperate for magic, stay out of trouble and go college. That is, Charlie’s troubled past would be behind her if she hadn’t seen that weird shadow hovering over a horribly mutilated corpse on her way home from work and if her boyfriend hadn’t recently disappeared.

Set in a dark and dangerous alternate northwest New England with a cast of morally grey characters, Charlie gets convinced that doing just one last job will free the ones she loves. When she was in the game she was good, the best, but she now might be in over head dealing with forces and secrets she could never imagine existed.

Content warnings (may contain SLIGHT SPOILERS): Domestic violence, gore, death of a loved one, sexism, violence.
Subject Headings: Fantasy- Contemporary, Occult & Supernatural, Thrillers- Supernatural, Magic Fiction
Appeal/Characteristics of Fantasy (may contain SPOILERS)

• Detailed settings depict another world, often located on Earth, but almost always set in out-of-time, in past times, or invisible to most people- This story takes place in an alternate version of the Berkshire Mountains in New England. Detailed landscape descriptions match present-day northwest New England but the magical elements bring the setting into another world.

• Magic frames the story- Not everyone in the story has magic of their own, but magic is a known entity in this world where social media influencers can trick out and trade their shadows, and shadows can gain sentience. Other, more powerful magic looms in hidden corners.

• Story line features good vs. evil. Story line also explores ways to discover one’s own potential, magical or otherwise- In a trend that is becoming more popular, every character is morally grey in this story and is doing, or has done, bad things including committing theft and murder. However, it is clear that there is a good side the reader is supposed to root for and bad guys that need to be taken down. In the broadest sense, this story is about Charlie Hall proving her worth.

• Characters, often attain special magical gifts. Even good characters will find themselves challenged, both physically and ethically. Characters may include mythical creatures as well as more mundane human ones- Characters in this story do attain magical gifts, as allowed by the world building; more details will spoil the plot. Charlie is a challenged character from the start, trying to leave a life of crime but taken in by one last job to save the ones she loves. Magical creatures are limited and are more along the lines of beings marred by magic than necessarily unique mythical creatures. Shadows have abilities that can be separate from the humans they are (and sometimes aren’t) attached to, making them magical creatures as well.

• Books start slowly as the author sets the scene, presents the challenge, and introduces the cast- This book, though not particularly long, does take its time setting the scene and introducing the cast. Even though a major event happens early on, the author still takes time to build the world before the action really sets in.

• From the stylized language to the use of jargon, language and style run the gamut. Language relates verbal pictures of characters and landscape, and illustrations sometimes enhance both adult and children’s Fantasy- Holly Black uses rather straight forward language however there are special terms reserved for those who dabble in the history and practice of magic as well as those who alter their shadows.

• Urban Fantasy is gritty and dark and has a sarcastic, barbed edge…plots most often center on a political/cultural power struggle, if not outright war. They tend to be fast-paced, sexy, violent, and action-packed. Black’s alternate New England is grimy and dark, reminiscent of the snow dirtied by car exhaust that hasn’t quite melted in early spring. All the characters have major flaws and are just barely holding things together. Sex is not a major element though bodies are plainly and frequently discussed. Subject headings for this book include Thriller, and this book is action packed with plot twists being thrown in up to the very end. The story centers a power struggle among elite magicians.

  3 terms that best describe this book:

• Magical

• Dark

• Suspenseful

Relevant Non-Fiction Works and Authors

• A History of Magic Witchcraft & the Occult by Susannah Lipscomb- this illustrated volume looks at the forms magic and witchcraft have taken throughout human history from ancient religions to present day Wiccans. The importance of historical magic and magical objects is a recurring element in Book of Night, making this non-fiction look at the history of magic a good option for fans of Black’s novel.

• The Berkshires by Jonathan Kandell- though not a book, this Smithsonian Magazine article explores how the Berkshire mountains in New England have inspired artists and authors for over a century. As the backdrop for Book of Night, readers will enjoy learning about this inspirational landscape.

3 Relevant Fiction Works and Authors

• Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo- this dark academia novel, set in an alternate New Haven at the prestigious Yale University, features down-and-out Alex Stern who is offered an out from a life of crime via a scholarship to Yale. In exchange, she must use her ability to see ghosts to help stop evil forces from upsetting the magical power balance on campus.

• One Dark Window (the first in the Shepherd King novels) by Rachel Gillig- Elspeth Spindle has an evil magical force living inside her head, trying to take over her magic. When her uncle makes a dangerous trade with the king, Elspeth must figure out how to use this force and her magic to help save the kingdom of Blunder. The element of morally grey magical forces in this story will be a nice connection for fans of Book of Night.

• Ordinary Monsters (the first book in the Talents Trilogy) by J. M. Miro- this suspenseful tome features an alternate, magical Victorian world where an evil, dark smoke is hunting down children with unexplained magical talents. The grim world with characters who must choose whether or not they’ll join the forces of evil will connect with Book of Night readers.

Reading the Whole Collection

• Readers who enjoyed Book of Night may enjoy the American Gods TV series based on Neil Gaiman’s novel of the same name. In the series, Shadow, recently released from prison, struggles to make the right choices as he finds his way in an America more supernatural than he thought with odds that seems to be stacked against him.

Citations

Characteristics of Fantasy novels taken from

Wyatt, N. and Saricks, J. (2019). The readers' advisory guide to genre fiction. Third edition. ALA Editions.

By the Book: Review

““Any dietary restrictions?” Michaela smiled at her... “Okay, but is there anything you hate?” Michaela asked...
”... Mostly I just hate anything that jiggles... You know, custards, pudding, Jell-O—anything that if you poke it, it jiggles...””

— Guillory, 2022 pp 35-36

REVIEW

Interested in a detailed summary with read-alikes?? Check out my Annotation of this book.

Author: Jasmine Guillory
Category/Type: Adult Fiction
Genre: Romance
Subgenre: Contemporary Romance; Fairy Tales, Romantic Comedy
Publication Date: May 3, 2022
Number of Pages: 313 pages of story text; includes acknowledgements
Geographical Setting: Primarily Santa Barbara, California, with some scenes in New York City and nearby New Jersey where the protagonist lives and works
Time Period: Present day
Series (if applicable): This is a Meant to Be novel, a Disney series that reimagines their famous fairy tales as diverse, closed door, adult romances.

Plot Summary: It’s a tale as old as time… ish…

Sort of fresh out of college, Isabelle (Izzy) is like a wilting rose as she struggles to prove herself in the challenging and exclusive world of publishing. An editorial assistant eager to catch her big break, she would do anything for a promotion, even if it means dealing with the beastly, extremely, infamous Beau Towers who has missed every deadline for his book deal. Izzy’s plan to spend an afternoon with Beau to light a fire under his butt and set him on the path to finishing his book goes awry when his meddling housekeeper is injured, leading Izzy to spend longer at Beau’s home that she expected.

Acting as his writing coach, Izzy begins to crack Beau’s hard surface and expose the complexities within. As they get to know one another, they also discover a magical spark between them. When Izzy’s job deals them both a blow, can they keep the flame alive?

This Beauty and the Beast retelling creatively reimagines a familiar tale, offering a contemporary take on what it means to be different while attempting to succeed in the world.
Content warnings (may containt SLIGHT SPOILERS): Death of one of the main characters’ parents in the past, racism, sexism, workplace harassment of the main character (NOT from the love interest).
Representation:

• Well-developed BIPOC main and supporting characters

• Processing of trauma and grief

“Beau set a bottle of maple syrup in front of her.
”Here you go, straight from Vermont, a place I’ve never been. But I’ve been told maple syrup grows on trees there.””

— Guillory, 2022, p 227

PERSONAL THOUGHTS

WARNING: May contain spoilers

Uh, this book was alright. I did not find it nearly as good as the first in the Meant to Be series, which is likely to happen with a changing cast of authors for each book in the series. Not every author will resonate with every reader.

I did feel connected with Izzy, especially with her dislike of jiggly food, which made me feel seen and committed to finishing the book. My main criticism is that both main characters felt flat and underdeveloped as did the plot. The events that take place were low stakes, which doesn't invite a lot of engagement on the part of the reader. I had similar criticisms of Guillory's The Wedding Date, so perhaps her writing style isn’t to my taste. It's not that the characters didn't have backstories, but that their emotions appeared disconnected, either not extreme enough or too extreme for the situations and too easily resolved in either case. The angry male as a beast who needs a woman to fix him is a bit over-the-top and Izzy forgives far too quickly, maybe because Beau is a hot guy? Other interpretations of this story that felt more realistic are Jane Eyre and The Love Hypothesis. Of course, those two examples are incredibly white and far from perfect, but do give the female characters more agency to be unforgiving and make the "beast" step up and do some of their own fixing.

Some of my disappointment likely also stems from the fact Disney's Beauty and the Beast was a favorite of mine having grown up as a bookish child, and I felt like this book didn't resonate as much as I was hoping it would. It might also be that having another heterosexual rendition of the story was not going to bowl me over regardless of how it was handled. Thinking about it further, I had almost no attachment to Cinderella in my youth and that may be why I had more fun reading If the Shoe Fits, there was nothing to disappoint because I didn’t enter with many expectations.

I do think that moving the setting to the notoriously challenging and cutthroat world of publishing was a genius way to update the story and Gaston (Gavin) as a gaslighting white dude was perfect; having experienced something similar at work in the past year, it was a great point of connection for me. And while publishing's issues with racism and overworking and underpaying and undercrediting lower level staff is somewhat glossed over because 'hey, this is a fantasy,' these facts are mentioned making the world of the novel more realistic.

Considering the series thus far, I do enjoy the committment to females with careers and the fact that none of the protagonists start out looking for love or in hopelessly dire situations like in earlier versions of the stories. They are in difficult situations that need to be resolved and they find love along the way, but the men are not directly fixing things or performing daring rescues in the traditional sense. Even though this particular book wasn't a huge hit for me, I’ll continue reading the series because they are fun books that creatively update tales as old as time (sorry, I couldn't resist).

Final resting place: This book is on my shelf between Matrix by Lauren Groff and Emperor of the Eight Islands by Lian Hearn.

WHAT I’M READING NOW

My annotations and reviews are always running a bit (or more than a bit) behind what I’m actually reading so here’s a little bit of a teaser, if you will, for reviews to come.

Kiss Her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun

By the Book: Annotation

*For my personal thoughts on By the Book check out my review of the book.

Author: Jasmine Guillory
Title: By the Book
Category/Type: Adult Fiction
Genre: Romance
Subgenre: Contemporary Romance; Fairy Tales, Romantic Comedy
Publication Date: May 3, 2022
Number of Pages: 313 pages of story text; includes acknowledgements
Geographical Setting: Primarily Santa Barbara, California, with some scenes in New York City and nearby New Jersey where the protagonist lives and works
Time Period: Present day
Series (if applicable): This is a Meant to Be novel, a Disney series that reimagines their famous fairy tales as diverse, closed door, adult romances.

Plot Summary: It’s a tale as old as time… ish…

Sort of fresh out of college, Isabelle (Izzy) is struggling to prove herself in the challenging, cutthroat, and exclusive world of book publishing. She feels like she’s languishing as an editorial assistant and would do anything to catch her big break and get a promotion, even if it means dealing with the beastly, extremely difficult Beau Towers who has missed every deadline for his book deal. Izzy’s plan to spend an afternoon with Beau to light a fire under his butt and set him on the path to finishing his book goes awry when his meddling housekeeper is injured, leading Izzy to spend longer at Beau’s home that she expected.

As his writing coach, Izzy begins to crack Beau’s hard surface and expose the complexities within. As they get to know one another, they also discover a magical spark between them. When Izzy’s job deals them both a blow, can they keep the flame alive? This Beauty and the Beast retelling deftly reimagines a familiar tale offering a contemporary take on what it means to be different and find your way and your people in the world.
Content warnings (may containt SLIGHT SPOILERS): Death of one of the main characters’ parents in the past, racism, sexism, workplace harassment of the main character (NOT from the love interest).
Subject Headings: Romance - Contemporary, Romance - Romantic Comedy, Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, Legends & Mythology, African American Women, Publishers and publishing fiction.
Representation:

• Well-developed BIPOC main and supporting characters

• Processing of trauma and grief

Appeal/Characteristics of Romance Fiction

• Emotionally satisfying, happy ending- This book has an endearing “happy for now” ending. In addition to the romantic happy ending, there is also a positive resolution to the workplace harassment Izzy faces.

• Characters are vividly, if quickly drawn. Men are powerful, confident, and slightly dangerous, women are strong, bright, and independent- Given that this is a retelling, the supporting characters are quickly drawn with just enough connection to the original tale that they feel fully developed because the reader can draw connections.
  This book offers some challenges to the tradition hero role:

  • Beau is the stand in for “the Beast” and while the media portrays him as dangerous, this is not the case. He is powerful physically and also because of his standing as a famous person, however he is processing grief and trauma and lacks confidence. He is a mixture of the alpha and beta male love interest.

  • Isabelle (Izzy) is bright, strong, and independent and doesn’t need romance. She puts her job and career goals first though, of course, romance happens along the way. She does falls within the more modern heroine stereotype.

• A misunderstanding between the protagonists followed by a satisfactory resolution of the romantic relationship- Misunderstandings are the name of the game in a Beauty and the Beast retelling but the traditional third act misunderstanding and separation are present, due in part to Izzy’s job on the other side of the country. The misunderstanding is quickly dealt with leading to a romantic wrap up including a rescue by the hero.

• Engaging details of time and place attract readers, and these historical, cultural, and social particulars often frame the stories- The struggles of working in publishing feel accurately portrayed because they mirror employee critiques of the industry. The descriptions of coastal California are accurate and the technology used by characters helps to firmly plant the story in the present day.

• Love on all levels- Multiple levels of love can be seen from both the characters. Izzy is regularly in contact with her best friend, Priya, and lives with her parents whom she loves very much. Beau is challenged by his parental relationships but ultimately these have happy and loving resolutions.

• Well-developed and interesting secondary characters- Izzy’s parents and especially her best friend, Priya, are well-developed and feel solid and real in the story. Beau’s parents have a fully developed back story, making them feel human and making their current impacts on Beau understandable to the plot.

  3 terms that best describe this book:

• Charming

• Smart

• Sweet

Fiction Read-alikes

• If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy- Readers of By the Book will want to check out this first book in the Meant to Be series, which is a Cinderella retelling featuring a shoe designer who stumbles her way onto a Bachelor-esque reality TV show in an attempt to further her career and forget about the handsome stranger she connected with on a cross-country flight.

• A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole- the first in acclaimed author Alyssa Cole’s Reluctant Royals series, Prince Thabiso decides to hide his royal self as he falls in love with a medical student who definitely doesn’t need romance in her life right now.

• Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston- In another forced-proximity romance that reimagines the results of the 2016 US election, the First Son and the Prince of Wales set off on a publicity tour to improve their images after a scandal threatens to derail their futures. Readers of By the Book will find connections in the struggles to achieve goals while in the spotlight.

Non-Fiction Read-alikes

• Publishing Romance: The History of an Industry, 1940s to the Present by John Markert- the popular romance genre has a history going back to the Middle Ages, though things really kicked in to high gear in the mid-1800s. To discuss this history, Markert studies the technological and material advancements that impacted the book industry and ultimately led to the proliferation of popular romance books in the market place.

  Using research and first hand interviews with industry professionals conducted in the late 1980s and the 2010s, Markert paints a picture of the intricacies of successes and discrimination in one of the most popular fiction genres in existence.

• Happily Ever After- The Romance Story in Popular Culture by Catherine M. Roach- Romance fans who want to delve deeper into why romantic tales have such a prominent place in our society will enjoy romance Roach’s non-fiction examination of happy endings in our shared cultural history.

• Once Upon a Time: A Short History of Fairy Tale by Marina Warner- For readers looking to explore the prominent place fairy tales still hold in our society, this brief yet detailed exploration of their history is a great starting point. Tackling the subject matter through thematically, Warner considers how these stories change and adapt over time and across cultures.

Citations

Characteristics of Romance Fiction taken from

Wyatt, N. and Saricks, J. (2019). The readers' advisory guide to genre fiction. Third edition. ALA Editions.

From Here to Eternity: Traveling the World to Find the Good Death: Review

“Women’s bodies are so often under the purview of men, whether it’s our reproductive organs, our sexuality, our weight, our manner of dress. There is a freedom found in decomposition, a body rendered messy, chaotic, and wild. I relish this image when visualizing what will become of my future corpse.”

— Doughty, 2018, p. ? (not recorded))

REVIEW

Interested in a detailed summary with read-alikes?? Check out my Annotation of this book.

Author: Caitlin Doughty
Category/Type: Adult Non-fiction
Genre: Memoir/Travel
    Subgenre: Death & Dying
Publication Date: October 9, 2018
Number of Pages: 288; includes acknowledgement, notes, and index
Series (if applicable): This is book is not part of a series
Content warnings (may contain SLIGHT SPOILERS): This book is a candid, non-fictionalized examination of death, dying, and funeral practices for humans. Anyone sensitive to this subject matter should proceed with caution.

Representation:

• The author is a {white) female practicing in a male-dominated field.

• The book includes accounts from the author’s travels around the world representing death practices of other cultures. The reader should keep in mind that the author is an affluent white American and this perspective may have impacted descriptions.

Summary: In the United States, death is a taboo topic and also a very profitable industry. Could it be different? From Here to Eternity investigates and ponders the alternatives to Western death practices.

Author Caitlin Doughty, well-known for her work to reform the American death industry, uses this book to examine death culture around the world. From open air pyres in Colorado, to sky deaths, Indonesian mummies, and just about everything in between, Doughty compares and contrasts how funeral traditions have shaped the way cultures think about death, dying, and the dead. For readers in the US, this book centers death, an uncommon thing for the society, creating a safe space to learn about and think about it. Doughty’s serious tone does not come across as negative and her work gives the reader space to pause and consider what they would like their own ending to look like.

While Doughty has done some groundbreaking work in the American funeral industry, this book is not particularly innovative. The cursory explorations fall flat and leave readers unsatisfied.

PERSONAL THOUGHTS

WARNING: May contain spoilers

Honestly, I was rather underwhelmed by this book. I was really excited going in, I had heard so much about it and so much about how Doughty is changing the funeral industry for the better in the West but, overall the book was...meh. It was easy to read and I surprised myself by how quickly I got through it, even with a lack of enthusiasm. There are some good moments, for sure, and Doughty imparts good insight about the way humans think about death, but I didn't feel like I learned a lot, which is generally what I'm looking for in a non-fiction book. Part of this might also be because I listen to a lot of science podcasts and Doughty appeared on many to promote the book when it was first published. There's nothing wrong with that, but it left me feeling like I had heard everything before.

Disappointingly, along with good insight about other cultures' death practices, there is almost always a "but we can't do that in the West/in America" sentence to follow it up. It doesn't come as a call to action, but instead is a downer after learning about a funerary alternative. I did appreciate the author’s avoidance of thrusting an opinion down the reader’s throat but more investigations in how alternatives could be incorporated into Western culture would have improved the reading experience for me.

Between the Covers

I ended up with a British printing, and the physical difference between this and America paperbacks was noticble right away. My copy was thick for such a short paperback because the paper was good quality and responsibly sourced. Compared to US paperbacks, I would almost say that the pages are a lightweight cardstock, no lie! Also, it is perfect bound, like all paperbacks post-1950ish, but the ease of reading in-hand is excellent. The spine did show wear after use but I only had to crack the glue once to make the book open more easily. It's like the publisher wanted the reader to actually be able to read the book, crazy!

Final resting place: Since I found this book underwhelming, I donated it to my neighborhood Little Free Library.

WHAT I’M READING NOW

My annotations and reviews are always running a bit (or more) behind what I’m actually reading so here’s a little bit of a teaser, if you will, for reviews to come.

Kiss Her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun

From Here to Eternity: Traveling the World to Find the Good Death: Annotation

“At almost any location in any major city on Earth, you are likely standing on thousands of bodies. These bodies represent a history that exists, often unknown, beneath our feet.”

— Doughty, 2018, p 231

Interested in my personal thoughts about From Here to Eternity? Check out my review.

Author- Caitlin Doughty

Title- From Here to Eternity: Traveling the World to Find the Good Death

Publication date- October 9, 2018

Number of pages- 288; includes acknowledgement, notes, and index

Geographic setting- United States, Indonesia, Bolivia, Japan, Mexico

Time period- Present day, although the author references the past regularly when discussing traditions around death customs.

Subject headings- Death & Dying, Personal Memoirs, Cross-cultural Studies, Funeral Rites

Type- This book encompasses multiple types: history, social sciences, and travel narrative

Series note- This book is not part of a series

Book summary- Author Caitlin Doughty, well-known for her work to reform the American death industry, uses this book to examine death culture around the world. From open air pyres in Colorado, to sky deaths, Indonesian mummies, and just about everything in between, Doughty compares and contrasts how funeral traditions have shaped the way cultures think about death, dying, and the dead. For readers in the US, this book centers death, an uncommon thing for the society, making it OK to learn about and think about. Doughty’s serious tone is not at all depressing and her work gives the reader space to pause and consider what they would like their own ending to look like.

Reading elements-

• Leisurely paced and reflective, this book won't overwhelm the reader with hard facts. Since this is also a travel story, there are light-hearted moments and mishaps that allow for breaks from the heavy subject matter.

• While this book isn't highly narrative, there is a flow to the travel story and history of the content that keeps the book on the middle ground between a highly narrative and hard fact book.

• The intent of the author is to both educate and offer space for reflection, especially for American readers, to consider a subject that is often considered taboo.

• The book is highly focused on the funeral traditions of specific places, turning this subject matter into an intriguing story.

• Each chapter contains illustrations to help the reader understand what the author saw and experienced in each place she traveled to. Given the heavy subject matter, these details helpthe reader to visualize, while not being as graphic as a photograph which might disrespect the dead.

• Doughty’s conversational writing style will help this book appeal to a range of non-fiction fans. She weaves together travel adventures with facts, giving the book the feel of an engaging dinner conversation.

• The book is informative and serious with light-hearted moments mixed in, lending the book a neutral tone that allows the reader to learn and reflect without being overwhelmed or feeling like they are having an opinion thrust upon them..

Similar works-
All the Living and the Dead: From Embalmers and Executioners, An Exploration of People Who Have Made Death Their Life’s Work by Hayley Campbell- Campbell considers how, from the time we are very young, death is all around us and yet always something to be feared. Wanting to confront this taboo topic, she interviews people working in the death industry about their experiences and recounts those stories here. From these interviews Campbell considers what it’s like to work with something we’re taught to fear and reexamines society’s relationship with the end of life.
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: And Other Lessons From the Crematory by Caitlin Doughty- Readers who enjoyed Doughty’s writing style in From Here to Eternity, are likely to be interested in this earlier work which recounts details from her time working in a crematory. Doughty uses a similar prose structure, mixing fact with memoir, providing another book where the reader can learn and reflect on what happens to us all in the end.
Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach- Beloved for her ability to make the most taboo topics relatable, in Stiff Mary Roach explores what happens to bodies after death. Taking a different approach from Doughty, Roach explores post-death forensics and all the ways bodies are used to educate, from studying decomposition to space exploration, she demonstrates bodies have a lot to offer to the living, even after what makes us human is gone.

Reading the whole collection-
Archival Quality by Ivy Noelle Weir (author) & Steenz (artist)- in this graphic novel, a former librarian struggling with depression takes a job as a night archivist at a local medical museum. Through a series of haunting events, the book explores what happened to the patients whose remains are kept in the museum as well as the importance of how our bodies are treated after they’re gone.
The Library of the Dead by T. L. Huchu- This fantasy novel follows Ropa, a ghost talker, as she passes messages from the dead to the living and investigates an evil bewitching of children in Edinburgh.
Spiritfarer by Thunder Lotus Games- Available on multiple gaming platforms, in Spiritfarer players befriend characters, help them through their lives, and then transport their souls to safety after they die.

The Love Hypothesis: Review

““What do I always tell you?”
”Um…’Don’t misplace the multichannel pipette’?”
”The other thing.”
She sighed. “‘Carry yourself with the confidence of a mediocre white man.’”” (The Love Hypothesis, Ali Hazelwood, 2021, p. 198)

Review

Interested in a detailed summary with read-alikes?? Check out my Annotation of this book.

Author: Ali Hazelwood
Title: The Love Hypothesis
Category/Type: Adult Fiction
Genre: Romance
    Subgenre: Contemporary Romance; STEM Romance, Romantic Comedy
Publication Date: September 14, 2021
Number of Pages: 352 pages of story text; includes author’s note, acknowledgements, and a preview of the author’s forthcoming STEM Romance
Series (if applicable): This is book is not part of a series
Content warnings (from the author’s website) SLIGHT SPOILERS: Death of one of the main characters’ parents in the past (due to cancer), workplace sexual harassment of the main character (NOT from Adam, the love interest), power differential (Olive is a student and Adam is a professor; they clear out their fake relationship with the Dean early in the story and no abuse of power occurs), explicit and graphic sexual content, cursing and vulgar language.

Representation:

• Well-developed BIPOC supporting characters

• LGBTQIA representation in well-developed supporting characters

• Asexual representation- the protagonist, Olive, is most likely demisexual although this word is not used directly when she describes her sexuality (but an almost textbook definition is used).

Summary: You might know the fake dating and grumpy/sunshine Romance tropes but author Ali Hazelwoood adds delightful new layers to these themes with her steamy and STEMinist academic love affair.

Ph.D student Olive struggles with romance, but her friends want her to find her happily ever after. Of course, Olive would do anything for her friends, including kissing the first guy she sees in the hallway, just to prove to her best friend that she can be in a relationship too. Except that guy Olive kissed almost without his consent is none other than the notoriously grouchy and feared faculty member Adam “Ass” Carlsen. Miraculously, instead of a filing a Title IX complaint against her, he agrees to help her out and fake date her. As they enter into an agreement, Olive finds she doesn’t mind her regular “dates” with Adam and he doesn’t seem to be that bothered with buying her unicorn lattes all the time. As their fake dating contract wraps up, drama occurs behinds the scenes at a big science conference testing the limits of their feelings for each other. Will Adam come through for Olive or will Olive keep quiet so the two can go their separate ways?

The connection between Olive and Adam is awkward, nerdy, witty, and endearing and challenges some of the traditional Romance conventions. It’s a refreshing and engaging read that will melt your heart and have you thinking about it long after you’ve closed the book.

PERSONAL THOUGHTS

WARNING: May contain spoilers

I was not expecting to but I LOVED this book! While meeting some well-worn Romance tropes, I still found the story realistic and comforting, heartwarming and also heart wrenching, but ultimately optimistic and powerful. Maybe there were just a lot of things I could identify with in the story that made it ring true for me? Olive's sarcasm and self-deprication was familiar but not self-destructive. While the male hero stereotype would normally have me running away screaming, I'm glad I didn't know that at the start, it totally melted my heart in the moment and Adam’s general awkwardness make him imperfect in the role, which is not at all a bad thing. I think there was some equal rescuing and never does the saving feel like it is patronizing or diminishes Olive's own power. It’s more that Adam is there when Olive needs it most, even if she can't say what she needs and he backs off completely whenever he or his help is not wanted. Adam does the right thing at the right time because it's the human thing to do and is his own awkward at love is centered much of the rest of the time.

Throughout the novel, the levels of respect and consent between Olive and Adam is wonderfully astounding.

My main regret about reading The Love Hypothesis is that I was not able to read it all in one sitting. It was delightful, real, and emotional while also being escapist. As someone dedicated to their studies and likely a life in academia, this book nailed the best and worst of it from my real-life experiences thus far. I also appreciated a lead on the asexual and aromantic spectrum that I could relate to. And no, there is no power-play between leads, which yes, I did fear at first. I have also seen some of the evils of white, male, tenured professors first hand and the situation Tom Benton puts Olive in is totally believeable. Sadly there aren’t enough Adam-like figures in real list. The main unbelieveable part is that Olive escaped the situation with Benton with only verbal abuse as a scar.

When I decided I would spend my final semester of my master’s program studying Romance novels, I was nervous about adding a large amount of reading in a genre I never thought I’d enjoy to my TBR. There’s nothing like setting up an independent study for your final semester to force you out of your comfort zone! I thought I’d self-test the hypothesis of the importance of representation in Romance, and this book, among others, is proving my hunch. Now I just need to find the supporting literature and holes in research because my studies won’t end when I get my masters…

Final resting place: This book will eventually end up between We Are Pirates by Daniel Handler and Emperor of the Eight Islands by Liam Hearn. I purchased a used library copy and, while it’s in great condition, it needs to be rebound before I shelve it to remove the plastic-based tape on the spine and back cover used for the Cutter number and barcode.

WHAT I’M READING NOW

My annotations and reviews are always running a bit (or more) behind what I’m actually reading so here’s a little bit of a teaser, if you will, for reviews to come.

Her Majesty’s Royal Coven by Juno Dawson

““Well, yeah. He is…” … “He is a nice asshole, I guess.”” (The Love Hypothesis, Ali Hazelwood, 2021, p. 34)

The Love Hypothesis: Annotation

*For my personal thoughts on If the Shoe Fits check out my review of the book.

Author: Ali Hazelwood
Title: The Love Hypothesis
Category/Type: Adult Fiction
Genre: Romance
Subgenre: Contemporary Romance; STEM Romance, Romantic Comedy
Publication Date: September 14, 2021
Number of Pages: 352 pages of story text; includes author’s note, acknowledgements, and a preview of the author’s forthcoming STEM Romance
Geographical Setting: Primarily Stanford University and Palo Alto, California; some crucial events take place at a conference in Boston.
Time Period: Present day
Series (if applicable): This book is not part of a series

Plot Summary: Ph.D student Olive struggles with romance but her friends want her to find her happily ever after. Of course Olive would do anything for her friends, including kissing the first guy she sees in the hallway just to prove to her best friend that she can be in a relationship too. Except that guy Olive kissed almost without his consent is none other than the notoriously grouchy and feared faculty member Adam Carlsen. Miraculously, instead of a filing a Title IX complaint against her, he agrees to help her out and fake date her. As they enter into an agreement, Olive finds she doesn’t mind her regular “dates” with Adam and he doesn’t seem to be that bothered with buying her unicorn lattes all the time. As their fake dating contract wraps up, drama occurs behinds the scenes at a big science conference; will Adam come through for Olive or will Olive keep quiet so the two can go their separate ways?
Content warnings (from the author’s website) SLIGHT SPOILERS: Death of one of the main characters’ parents in the past (due to cancer), workplace sexual harassment of the main character (NOT from Adam, the love interest), power differential (Olive is a student and Adam is a professor; they clear out their fake relationship with the Dean early in the story and no abuse of power occurs), explicit and graphic sexual content, cursing and vulgar language.
Subject Headings: Romance - Contemporary, Romance - Workplace, Romance - Romantic Comedy, STEM Romance (I made this subject heading up but it should exist and I believe will appeal to a subset of readers).
Representation:

• Well-developed BIPOC supporting characters

• LGBTQIA representation in well-developed supporting characters

• Asexual representation- the protagonist, Olive, is most likely demisexual although this word is not used directly when she describes her sexuality (but an almost textbook definition is used).

Appeal/Characteristics of Romance Fiction

• Emotionally satisfying, happy ending- This book has an endearing “happy for now” ending. Also the sexual harassment conflict is wonderfully resolved with the aid of the romantic interest, setting up Olive for both a happy romantic and scientific ending.

• Characters are vividly, if quickly drawn. Men are powerful, confident, and slightly dangerous, women are strong, bright, and independent- Both Olive and Adam match this description while also defying it, as many cis-het Romances have been doing lately. Adam is powerful but does show lack of confidence and isn’t “slightly dangerous” so much as kind of jerk (not to Olive); he has things to work on. Olive is bright and strong and independent but also has a difficult past that drives her forward, and she experiences both doubt and anxiety. Olive and Adam also challenge traditional gender norms and while Adam saves the day a bit at the end, he would not be able to do that if Olive hadn’t been strong enough to set him up for the rescue.

• A misunderstanding between the protagonists followed by a satisfactory resolution of the romantic relationship- There is a misunderstanding around the three-quarters mark. This book involves the fake dating trope and so the fake relationship is ended despite feelings that each character has developed for the other. This lack of communication is resolved in short order for a satisfying ending

• Engaging details of time and place attract readers, and these historical, cultural, and social particulars often frame the stories- This book is set in academia and accurately portrays what’s it’s like to be a grad student, a tenure track faculty member, and the sexism that exists within the scientific community. These details are key to understanding the story and its characters as well as the events that take place in the book.

• Love on all levels- Multiple levels of love can be seen from both the characters. Olive has a small but solid and supporting friend group and her love for her mother drives her to where she is and what she is doing when the story begins. Adam’s passion for science and his love for his best friend are also clearly defined and key to the book’s progression.

• Well-developed and interesting secondary characters- The friends of both Olive and Adam as well as some of the other grad students, faculty, and the villain of the tale are well-developed. It is easy to understand their purpose and for readers to love, hate, or relate to them as needed for the story.

  3 terms that best describe this book:

• Charming

• Smart

• Steamy

Fiction Read-alikes

• Loathe at First Sight by Suzanne Park- Melody has finally broken into the male-dominated video game industry as a junior producer. The job is made difficult thanks to the sexism she faces in her workplace and an annoying but handsome intern. Melody and the intern are forced to work together when Melody gets assigned to a project with a seemingly impossible deadline that will prove the company isn’t sexist. Difficult work scenarios, sexism in the work place, and love in STEM fields are all connections between this title and The Love Hypothesis.

• The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren- Jess is a data wiz but, as a single mother, has no interest in dating. Still, she is intrigued by a new dating app that matches people based on their DNA; even if the grumpy founder of the company insulted her recently. When Jess and the grumpy founder prove to be matches for each other, will they be able to overcome their personalities and trust in science? The combination of science and love as well as a grumpy male love interest are likely to draw fans of The Love Hypothesis.

• How to Fail at Flirting by Denise Williams- Naya always puts her career in academia (teaching and research) first, especially after her last relationship ended with that ex continuing to harass her. Still, Naya’s friends think she needs a social life and give her a list of tasks that result in her flirting with and then eagerly dating a guy at a bar. Will work and their awkwardness in dating bring them closer together or tear them apart? Similar to The Love Hypothesis, this book features awkwardness in dating, harassment in academia, and women in STEM.

Non-Fiction Read-alikes

• Saints and Scamps: Ethics in Academia by Stephen M. Cahn- This book looks at the responsibilities and pressures placed on academic faculty as well as ethics and special situations in graduate programs. Though though this is likely to be a much drier read than The Love Hypothesis, fans of the book interested in learning more about the ins and outs of academia will find this book helpful.

• Wonder Women: 25 Innovators, Inventors, and Trailblazers Who Changed History by Sam Maggs- While the STEM field is still largely dominated by men, there have been women who have altered the course of science throughout history. This book explores the stories of 25 of these women. In The Love Hypothesis, Olive is one of just a few women studying science in her graduate program and this book will help shed more light on real-life women in the field.

• Pancreatic Cancer: Current and Emerging Trends in Detection and Treatment by Amy Sterling Casil- This book explains what pancreatic cancer is as well as the ways its detected and new innovations in the field. Though an older book, it could be helpful for readers of The Love Hypothesis who want to better understand Olive’s research project in pancreatic cancer detection.

Citations

Characteristics of Romance Fiction taken from

Wyatt, N. and Saricks, J. (2019). The readers' advisory guide to genre fiction. Third edition. ALA Editions.

““I just—you guys looked so good together! It was so obvious from the way Adam stared at you that he was wild about you. And the opposite—you looked at him like he was the only guy on earth and then—it always seemed like you were forcing yourself to hold back on him, and I wanted you to know that you could express your feelings if you wanted to—I really thought I was helping you, and—you fake-dated Adam Carlsen?”” (The Love Hypothesis, Ali Hazelwood, 2021, p. 314)