"The Dreamwitch" by Monique Hazel

 

I came for the gothic setting and stayed for the plot. "The Dreamwitch" by Monique Hazel is an excellent gothic horror with a dash of slow-burn romance. It ticks all my favorite trope boxes: enemies-to-lovers, inexplicable events, and a haunted, decaying estate.

Matiah Blood is a 24-year-old Dreamwitch with a red birthmark on her face, dreams in her heart, and a curious nature. She lives in the House of Dreams with other dreamwitches, each talented in a different discipline. As a dreamwitch, she can manipulate dreams and often helps the police with their inquiries by entering criminals' minds and extracting information.

When Lord Montgomery of Camdyn begs the House of Dreams to help his nephew, who suffers from crippling nightmares, Matiah insists on going despite warnings about the huntsmen, a sect who still prey on dreamwitches in Camdyn. Two ex-soldiers are assigned to protect her: kind-hearted Leopold and the brooding, traumatized Atlas, who seems to dislike her on sight.

Camdyn is far more technologically advanced than Matiah's city. However, not all its residents are welcoming, and some are even murderous toward her kind. The Montgomery house holds secrets, incidents seem to follow her, and the boy's pervasive nightmares start to affect the rest of the household. Several attempts are made on Matiah's life, but she remains determined to see things through despite the danger. She must act fast before time runs out.

I enjoyed the book immensely. The writing is beautiful and laced with tension and suspense as the author pulls us into the depths of this intriguing mystery. The world-building and magic are vivid and original. I loved the concept of entering dreams and the possibilities it opens up. The author expertly builds a gritty atmosphere throughout the book. The gothic vibes are strong, and the Penny Dreadful tales and dream sequences interspersed throughout the story enrich the atmosphere.

The characters are well-drawn, especially Matiah and Atlas. Matiah is kind, protective, and caring, with a great deal of compassion for others. I admired her courage and perseverance, as well as her compassion toward others. However, she doesn't always follow the rules. Entering a dream without the person's consent was wrong, even if her intentions were good.

The book explores trauma, grief, loss, self-worth, and the damaging effects of war. Atlas's trauma and insomnia, both caused by his experiences in the Half War, are portrayed particularly well. I would have liked to learn more about the war itself, as not enough details were given about it. His love of reading made me relate to him.

The house rules forbade romance between staff members, so both tried to keep their distance. I liked the way their relationship developed, with both of them struggling against their feelings and their past experiences. They both had physical features they considered flaws, and I loved how accepting they were of each other's imperfections.

I was satisfied with the ending, which was a wonderful way to conclude the story. I did think all the problems could have been avoided if they had simply left the estate... The reasons given for staying were unconvincing, but this didn't stop me from loving the book and highly recommending it. If you like your fantasy dark, thorny, and laced with poison, this one is for you!

Content warnings: sexual references, substance use, violence, mild body horror.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc.  All opinions are my own.

* For more info about the book:  "The Dreamwitch" by Monique Hazel

"Please Kill My Boss" by Evie Ross

 

"Please Kill My Boss" by Evie Ross is a tongue-in-cheek comedic thriller following a workaholic woman who fantasizes about the untimely death of her boss. Well, you know what they say about wishes coming true.

Julia is the head of sales at Fine Office Furniture, a company that sells chairs. She is overworked, her boyfriend has left her, and she has no friends or life outside the office. Her co-workers don't like her because of her prickly attitude and her lack of effort to get to know them or socialize with them. She hates her controlling boss and daydreams about different ways their egotistical, bullying, sexist boss could drop dead.

When he unexpectedly drops dead in front of her one Monday night while she is working late at the office, she panics and runs. Later, she makes some unwise decisions, such as trying to hide the body and tampering with evidence to clear herself of suspicion. Help comes to her surprise from unexpected quarters. Her co-workers, Todd from Design and Poppy, the new intern, join her efforts to solve the case and find out who is trying to frame her for murder. It's not an easy task, as she isn't exactly Miss Congeniality, and most of her co-workers dislike her and apparently fantasized about his death.

Who knew selling chairs was such a cutthroat business? The book explores work-life balance, sexism at work, office politics, and workplace dynamics. You either like the heroine or hate her. I belong to the first category. Yes, she isn't perfect. She is selfish, self-centred, oblivious to her surroundings, and judgmental towards others (especially good-looking women). However, she eventually becomes aware of her flaws and at least tries to improve, with varying degrees of success.

Most of the workers were unlikeable, except for Todd and Poppy. I liked that Todd was willing to help Julia even though he initially believed she had murdered their boss. I liked Poppy's direct approach and the way she tells it like it is. I liked the humour, wit, and writing. The emails from HR added a refreshing touch to the story. The mystery was well plotted and kept me interested throughout the book. The twists at the end caught me by surprise, as did the identity of the murderer. Speaking of the murderer, I wasn't satisfied with the solution. I thought the murderer got off lightly after killing two people. Neither victim was innocent, but that didn't justify killing them. Punishment, yes; murder, no.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. It doesn't take itself too seriously, and there are a few hilarious scenes, such as the discovery of the body and the comment about how murder enlivens the boring office routine, which made it a good read. It may seem chaotic at times, but that's what made it so entertaining to read. I recommend the book to fans of office antics who don't shy away from unlikeable characters. I will never look at office workers the same way after reading this book!

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc.  All opinions are my own.

* For more info about the book: "Please Kill My Boss" by Evie Ross

"Gilded Wings" by Emily Thiede

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gilded Wings and Iron Chains! "Gilded Wings" by Emily Thiede is an original YA fantasy set in the 19th century, in the cradle of the Industrial Revolution, with the exciting addition of dragons, a premise I couldn't resist. Told in the third person from the alternating perspectives of the two main protagonists, it follows Stella, a country girl, and Gentry, a newsie who delivers newspapers for a living.

Stella leaves home to avoid an arranged marriage. She joins her sister in the big city, much to her sister's dismay. The two are different in character and don't really get along. Maeve is the black sheep of the family, while Stella is the golden child. Stella feels invisible and inadequate and hopes to change that and improve her relationship with her sister. On her very first day, she is almost trampled to death by a passing carriage but is saved by the charming Gentry, who has secrets of his own and a past he hides from his friends.

When an object entrusted to him for safekeeping disappears, he suspects Stella of stealing it. He must find the it, as his life is on the line otherwise. When he is thrown out of his boarding house because of his age, he tries to find a place for himself and his fellow newsies while struggling to make it on the streets. Meanwhile, Stella works alongside her sister in a factory and is upset by the unjust working conditions. She grows close to an Infaerna, a bright miniature dragon, and comes to care for her. As dragon attacks escalate and the Infaerna start going missing, Stella and Gentry join forces to get to the root of the issue. Between dragon attacks, class conflict, political intrigue, and growing attraction, they have their hands full. There is danger in the city, and it isn't just the dragons.

The premise was great, but the execution fell a bit short for me. I had a hard time getting into the story at first because of the over-descriptive prose and the slow pacing. However, once I got into the spirit of things and got used to the writing, I couldn't stop reading. The book started well enough, dragged in the middle, and regained its momentum towards the end. There were a couple of sections where things were told rather than shown, but I was glad the author didn't stretch those sections.

The world-building was excellent, and I loved the concept of colors distinguishing between classes. I also loved the combination of the Industrial Revolution and dragons, and I only wish the latter had played a bigger role in the story. I admired the clever Infaerna and their quirks, as well as the colorful cast of side characters. I disliked Maeve, Stella's sister, at first because of her attitude toward her sister. However, as the plot unfolded, I changed my mind about her.

I liked Stella and rooted for her. She was an idealist, if a bit naive, and I loved her optimism, caring nature, kindness, and passion for justice and workers' rights. She was a fighter, and I admired her for it. In contrast, Gentry was cynical but charming and used his charm to his advantage. I enjoyed watching their relationship develop, especially how they influenced each other and brought out the best in one another. He gave her confidence, while she gave him mettle.

Overall, I enjoyed the book despite its flaws, so after consideration, I gave it 4 out of 5 stars. With tighter writing and pacing, it could have been even more engaging. There is no spice, which is refreshing to me, and I was very satisfied with the conclusion. I recommend it to fans of dragons, slow-burn romance, and found family.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc.  All opinions are my own.

* For more info about the book: "Gilded Wings" by Emily Thiede

"Such Familiar Magic" by Natasha Ngan

 

"Such Familiar Magic" by Natasha Ngan is a sweet, cozy fantasy following the self-discovery journey of a British-Chinese young witch. It is just the kind of book I love, and I quickly got immersed in its whimsical atmosphere and story.

Laila Chu comes from one of three magical British-Chinese families in the seaside town of Silverwood Cove, each family with their own kind of magic. Her parents immigrated from Malaysia to the UK for a better future. Laila toggles between her work in London and her familial magic duties at home on the weekends, leaving no space for personal relationships and friendship.

When her parents leave for a trip to Malaysia, Laila has to go home for that period to take care of the ancient potion that gives them their power, the family spirits, and their pet turtle. When she accidentally ruins the potion, she has to reconstruct it from scratch. Unfortunately, the only person who can help her is her childhood nemesis, Anthony Lim. The clock is ticking, and she has to gather the ingredients before it is too late. But, hey, no pressure, right??

I enjoyed the book immensely. I loved the family dynamics, the slow-burn romance, and the Chinese mythology. I also enjoyed the little winks to other stories and characters, such as Mulan and Wednesday. The hero compared the heroine to Mulan, and one of the teenage side characters, with her love of the macabre, was a fun wink to Wednesday. I loved the banter between Laila and Anthony and between her and her ancestor spirits. The latter were my favorite side characters. In fact, I loved the whole cast!

Laila is flawed, but that is what makes her human. I appreciated her journey, the way she came to terms with herself and her inheritance and found her place in the community. She compartmentalized herself and almost broke herself in doing so, suffering from panic attacks and burnout. But she grows along the way. Anthony was sweet, strong but vulnerable, kind and soft, and I identified with his loss. I also liked Laila's approach to life and the way she balanced work and life. Laila's mom irritated me at first. She was the stereotypical Asian mother and too strict with her only daughter, but as I got to know her, I understood her more.

The book explores themes of identity, culture, grief, family, community, burnout, and love. I loved the glimpse into the immigrant community, and the message about home, a place where you will always be welcomed no matter what. It also touched on Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS), and had LGBTQ+ representation. There were a couple of sex scenes, so consider yourself warned if that bothers you.

Overall, I loved the book and highly recommend it. I liked the connection between memories and ingredients, the magic, and the writing. The pace was slow at times, but there wasn't a dull moment. In fact, it enabled us to get to know the characters and the culture. I recommend the book to fans of feel-good novels that leave you all warm inside, with great characters you can deeply connect with and care about, and magic.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc.  All opinions are my own.

* For more details about the book: "Such Familiar Magic" by Natasha Ngan

"Worse Than the Others" by Mackenzie Reed

 

I have read one of Reed's books before and loved it, so I knew I was in for a great read. And I was right! "Worse Than the Others" by Mackenzie Reed is an intense YA locked-room mystery that will leave you breathless. Written in the first person and present tense, it follows an aspiring true crime YouTuber who gets drawn into investigating a year-old murder.

Meet Ames: a teenage YouTuber trying to increase her views and aspiring to become an investigative journalist. When she gets an invitation to a party at the infamous Haven Hotel, where a girl died last year, she can't resist. She saw a story about it on the internet that has since been removed, and her journalist instincts kick in. She must get to the bottom of things,  even if it puts her in danger.

When she arrives at the abandoned hotel, she meets six other teens, a group of friends who received similar invitations. When one of them tries to leave, he is murdered, and a mysterious voice warns them that anyone who attempts to escape will meet the same fate. They must stay until one of them confesses to the murder of the dead girl, whom they all knew. Ames tries to piece together the facts and discover what happened on that fateful night a year ago. The clock is ticking, and time is running out.

The beginning was a little slow for me, but once the story got going, the pace picked up and it became increasingly difficult to put down. I liked Ames as a protagonist. I was surprised at first that the other teens, who were a bit older than her, let her take charge of the investigation at the voice's insistence, but understood as I got to know her. I admired her courage and determination to uncover the truth. She also suffers from panic attacks in confined spaces, which made her feel more relatable and added another layer of tension to an already tense situation.

At first, it seemed like the same old trope of people being locked in a place, but it was anything but. What I particularly enjoyed was that the locked-room setup wasn't just used as a backdrop for a familiar trope. There was an actual mystery to unravel, with the events of the previous year gradually coming to light. The twists and final reveal caught me completely unaware. Several times I thought I knew where the story was going, only to be proven wrong. I was sure the culprits would get away and was ready to be upset over it, and I was pleasantly surprised.

Whilst we don't get an in-depth view of every character, there is enough of their personality to differentiate between them. As it is written in the present tense, the reader experiences the events alongside the characters. The book explores themes of loss, grief, revenge, friendship, and redemption. There is a dash of romance, but it doesn't overshadow the mystery. The Snapchat memories, video fragments, and letters between the chapters enriched the plot. The storytelling created a strong sense of claustrophobia and a creepy atmosphere.

The author has masterfully woven everything together, gradually revealing snippets of information without giving too much away until the end. The final twist left me agog, and I especially liked the buildup of tension. The author is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors, and I look forward to reading more of her books. As you gather, I loved the book and recommend it to fans of locked-room mysteries with a bite. Just a note, as it is a YA, it may be predictable to some. I didn't find it so. Full stars from me! 

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc.  All opinions are my own.

* For more info about the book: "Worse Than the Others" by Mackenzie Reed 

"Ambrosia" by Katrina Kwan

 

"Ambrosia" by Katrina Kwan is a dark academia standalone combining murder mystery and alchemy, all my favorite tropes. The opening of the book was great, and I loved the wink to the opening of "Pride and Prejudice."

The book revolves around a Huay woman, Li, who left her home country with her husband, Zhen, so he could join the University of Quartë’s world-renowned Order of Alchemic Science as a tenured alchemist. When his body is found in a frozen river, the police dismiss it as suicide. Li doesn't buy it, due to the gold found in his veins.

As the campus doesn't accept women alchemists, Li disguises herself as a man to infiltrate the campus and find out who murdered her husband. There are five suspects, including Rauley, her husband's best friend, and she believes one of them murdered her husband. Nonetheless, the truth is darker than she suspected.

Overall, I enjoyed the tale. The mystery was good enough that I didn't guess the identity of the murderer, and there were enough red herrings to keep me guessing. The title has some connection to the plot, which I'll let you find out for yourself. The world-building was nicely done. The mystical animals, the murder investigation, and the alchemy involved created exactly the kind of atmosphere I enjoy. I liked the peeks we got into the academy and the alchemy side of things, which was creative enough to make me want more. The cast was nicely developed, to one degree or another. I also liked the wink to Mulan and her similarities to our heroine.

Speaking of that, I am ambivalent about Li. On one hand, I liked her and rooted for her. On the other, she irritated me, and I went from liking her to disliking her and back again. I admired her bravery and resourcefulness, but at times she went too far. She was too reckless, and I didn't like her attitude toward Rauley, among other things. She used his feelings toward her to her own ends. I liked her compassion toward a couple of street urchins, but I didn't approve of some of her other acts.

The book explores themes of grief, prejudice, social class, gender inequality, survival, and found family. It also explores how far one will go to achieve justice. Far enough, it seems. There isn't much of a romance, although the book details the romance between Li and her late husband, as well as the possibility of one with another.

While I liked the premise of "Ambrosia," the execution fell a little short for me. Written in the third person POV, the book moves between past and present, with flashbacks to Li's past interspersed with her life in the present, which at times interrupted the flow of the story. The prose was clunky and took some time to get used to, and the pace wasn't even at times. That said, the story still kept me intrigued until the explosive conclusion, which gave the story the payoff I was hoping for. Therefore, I only shaved one star off my final rating. I rate it 4 out of 5 stars and recommend the book to fans of dark academia, mystery, and East Asian folklore.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc.  All opinions are my own.

* For more info about the book: "Ambrosia" by Katrina Kwan

"Echo Ridge" by Audrey J. Cole

 

"Echo Ridge" by Audrey J. Cole is a compelling thriller that kept me eagerly reading until the very end. Told alternately from the first-person POVs of two women, it follows Naomi, a grieving mother, and Jade, a tai chi instructor, whose lives collide at the luxury wellness retreat.

After being cheated out of her invested money by her best friend and business partner, Jade reinvented herself by accepting her aunt's offer to run the Echo Ridge Sanctuary and teach tai chi as well. There, she finds some comfort in nature and in her friendships with her aunt and the cook, who has his own baggage to deal with.

Naomi's eldest daughter was murdered, but the case was never solved. She firmly believes her son-in-law is the murderer, and she is so consumed by her hatred toward him that she has put her life on hold. Her youngest daughter, Miranda, takes her to the isolated retreat in the hope of reconnecting with her.

The serenity of the retreat is shattered when two new guests arrive: Jade’s former best friend, Piper, and her fiancé, Dylan, Naomi's son-in-law. The plot thickens when one of the guests disappears, and a violent storm prevents any of them from leaving. They have no internet connection, and the satellite phone is down. Secrets, paranoia, and chaos set the stage for murder, and there is a murderer on the loose.

I enjoyed the book immensely. It was well written and moved smoothly from one POV to another. The author has seamlessly woven themes of grief, betrayal, jealousy, and fallible human nature into the story. Cole also creates some good characters, and I liked the emotional dynamics between them. I liked Jade, and I felt sorry for Naomi, although she went too far at times. Both of them have a couple of things in common. They were full of hatred and anger and needed to learn to let go. I didn't like Piper and thought her behavior reprehensible. A couple of characters surprised me, for better and for worse. I won't mention names to avoid spoilers.

The first half had a slower pace than the second, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I liked the breathing sessions, the tai chi, and the hot springs, which gave the story a nice sense of setting. The second half was faster-paced, with a good build-up to the twists. While I didn't guess some of the twists, hooray to the author for that, I did guess the final twist. It didn't lessen my enjoyment, though.

All in all, it was an interesting and thoroughly enjoyable read with a satisfying conclusion. Although the trope may be familiar, the execution was original and well done. The setting is beautifully constructed, and the tense, claustrophobic atmosphere deepened the story. I recommend it to fans of locked-room mysteries and vacations gone awry. The author has woven a well-crafted mystery with plenty of intriguing characters, a delicious amount of suspense, and a few dashes of crime.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc.  All opinions are my own.

* For more info about the book:  "Echo Ridge" by Audrey J. Cole

"The Pleasure Trap" by Emelie Olsson

 

"The Pleasure Trap" by Emelie Olsson is a spicy romance following three couples spending their vacation in Mexico. I expected a thriller, but it is more an erotic romance with an original twist. The sentence "All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way" ("Anna Karenina") sums this book up to a T.

Alice and Tom are teachers who have been married for sixteen years and are undergoing infertility treatments. After the failure of their latest treatment, Tom's parents send them on an all-inclusive vacation in Mexico to recover. Melissa and Callum are newlyweds on their honeymoon. Melissa is a social influencer living for likes online and trying to increase her number of followers. Callum works in real estate and is unhappy with it. Rebecca and Ryan both come from wealthy families and spice up their marriage by playing an immoral game. They choose targets, and each attempts to seduce their chosen partner. The one who manages to have sex with their target first wins this depraved game. The paths of the three couples cross at the resort, and the rest is history.
  
I should have suspected something when I saw the title. But, what am I, a skeptic? It is a trap, all right, for the unwary, but I wouldn't call it "pleasure." It is anything but. The writing is great, I would give it that, and despite my reservations, I couldn't stop reading. The plot is fascinating in its human angle and its social critique. I kept waiting for the thriller element to kick in, expecting a murder or two, but the book remained firmly focused on the relationships and dynamics between the characters. The thriller angle comes from the emotional turmoil the characters go through and the tension of whether they will give in to temptation.

The dynamics and relationships between the couples were quite interesting to read. The book explores themes of infidelity, loving and finding yourself, infertility, empowerment, and the impact of online porn on young people. All important themes in themselves. Each of the couples has some issue with their marriage. Alas, the overwhelming number of explicit sexual scenes shifted the focus away from these themes and turned what could have been a great book into something much closer to porn. An interesting choice, as the book set against porn which creates unrealistic expectations for men.

The book alternates between third-person POVs following the couples and Rebecca's first-person POV, perhaps with the intention of making us like her. It didn't work. I didn't like her or her husband. In fact, I didn't like any of the characters and was disappointed by their choices. That doesn't mean I didn't find them fascinating. Their flaws, motivations, and relationships were some of the most interesting parts of the book. The setting was great, and I love visiting all the places they went to.

I found Rebecca and Ryan deceptive and manipulative, not to mention immoral. They try to present themselves as somewhat ethical by not targeting couples with children, but I felt they crossed too many lines and were unethical in plotting their course of action. They may have helped some of the couples with their advice, but I felt the damage they caused outweighed any insights they gave them.

Overall, I enjoyed the story, especially the exploration of the relationships, the exposure of human flaws, and the way the characters are forced to accept them and grow and mature in their personal lives and relationships with each other. The ending was satisfactory as well. Therefore, I rate the book 3.5 out of 5 stars, rounded up to 4. I recommend the book to people who like complex character studies and don't mind a lot of smut.
 
* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc.  All opinions are my own.

* For more info about the book: "The Pleasure Trap" by Emelie Olsson

"Veiled in Shadow" by Liz Edelbrock

 

A magical train, childhood friends to lovers, and a locked-room mystery, all my favorite tropes in one. Veiled in Shadow by Liz Edelbrock is a delightful YA debut romantasy set aboard a train, successfully blending fantasy, mystery, and romance and told from the first-person POV of its heroine.

The life of Princess Delana of Orsho changed after the death of her beloved mother. Her father isn't himself, escaping more and more from reality and sinking into his past memories. The realm's memory magic, which comes from the chrona larks, is fading after the birds migrated to a neighboring kingdom. This magic enabled them to spy on their citizens and prevent crimes and chaos before they occurred by accessing memories of past events. To restore the magic, a political marriage is arranged between Princess Delana and Prince Marc of Valmyrra. To save their kingdom, Del agrees to the marriage and, together with her entourage and personal bodyguard, boards the enchanted wedding train that will take her to her new home.

Prince Marc is on the train with his own people, along with a group from a third kingdom who will entertain them with their illusion magic. The plot thickens when there is a murder aboard, and it becomes clear that Del was its intended target. When a second murder occurs, Del and Bastian have to find the assassin before she is next. Trust doesn't come easily to Del, and she has to rely on her senses, not her vanishing magic, to find out whom to trust and uncover the truth. Add to that the fact that she soon finds she doesn't like Marc much and her heart belongs to another, which complicates matters. She not only has to find a murderer, but also choose between duty and love.

The book got off to a slow start, but the pace picked up after the first murder. The world-building is intriguing, and the magic system is original. I liked the concept of seeing past events via the magic and the connection between the magic and the birds. I enjoyed the descriptions of the train's marvels and the illusionists' magic. Incorporating sign language into their performances was a nice touch, although there was no mention of who needed it on the train.

Some of the characters came across as very genuine and well-rounded. My favorites were Del, Bastian, and Thalia. Del was a fierce heroine I came to root for, if a bit reckless. I winced whenever she put herself in dangerous situations with no second thought to her safety. Bastian was loyal and faithful, and I admired his dedication to the cause. Thalia competed with Del for the prince's attention and was hostile toward her. I didn't like her at first, but as she developed and I came to understand her side of things, my opinion of her changed. And don't let me start on Marc. He was shallow and vain, and I really didn't connect with him.

I liked the dynamic between Del and Bastian and the way their relationship developed. Their shared past made their relationship feel authentic. I also liked the way Del's character developed as she learned to open herself to others. Her memory flashbacks were a nice touch, though there were a bit too many of them at times. The book explores themes of surveillance, trust, duty, sacrifice, and love, as well as the importance of following your heart. The plot was a bit predictable, but as I didn't guess the identity of the murderer, I was fine with that. A couple of things made me raise a brow, though. I don't want to enter into spoilers, but in general terms, the way one of the suspects was so quickly deemed innocent felt a little too convenient.

That said, I enjoyed the story, so I only deducted one star. The world-building, characters, magic system, and engaging plot made it an enjoyable read. The ending is also fulfilling, and I like that it's a stand-alone. There are a couple of love scenes. Though not explicit, they may not be suitable for younger readers, so be aware. All in all, I liked the book and recommend it to fans of political intrigue, forced proximity, forbidden romance, and magic. Oh, yes!

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc.  All opinions are my own.

* For more info about the book: "Veiled in Shadow" by Liz Edelbrock

"The Curse of Feathers" by Kimberly Bea

 

I love retellings, and the tale of "The Wild Swans" is a favorite of mine. "The Curse of Feathers" by Kimberly Bea is a fantasy retelling combining elements from both the Brothers Grimm tale "The Six Swans" and Hans Christian Andersen’s "The Wild Swans". I have read the original tales as well as a couple of retellings, and this version is surely an original. Well, as original as a retelling can be.

The book follows Elisa von Ahlefeldt, youngest daughter of a noble family. Unlike her elder six brothers, she is ellevilde—elf-wild—a child of nature. She runs freely in the forest and befriends Nuve, an ash-tree maid who teaches forest magic. Her life takes a turn for the worse after her mother dies and her father remarries the Hexe (a witch) who bewitched him. The stepmother, Belinde, transforms the boys into swans and alters the father's perception of his daughter. Elisa hides in the forest and starts sewing shirts from nettles using nalbinding and magic. She has to keep silent if there is any hope of breaking her brothers’ curse. It is not an easy task in a world that hates magic, where a witch is after her, and witches are burned at the stake.

Overall, I enjoyed the story. Although there is an excellent plot, the real strength of this book is the detailed character development of Elisa and the vivid descriptions of the setting. I liked this feminist version of the story, with themes of coming-of-age, physical suffering, penance, sacrifice, social class, and pagan vs. Christian elements. I appreciated the mysticism, the depictions of life in nature, and the witch trials, which felt authentic. I liked the contrast between the beauty of nature and the dark curse and the rich historical details. The book has an atmospheric, dark quality that fits the darker elements of the fairy tale particularly well.

Elisa and Nuve were really the only rounded characters. Some of the side characters (especially the brothers) were less developed or distinguished, but as they weren't the center of the tale, it didn't bother me. I liked their loyalty and love for their sister, admired Elisa's inner strength (not speaking for many years isn't easy, let me tell you), her determination to save her brothers, and her connection to nature. I also liked the relationship between her and Nuve, and the way they complemented each other.

While the writing is great, the book is a bit slow-paced and meanders a little, and could’ve been tightened up. The religious undertone was laid too thick to my taste, but was well merged into the tale. If you read the original tale, you will be familiar with the direction of the story, but there were several twists that made it fresh. The ending is different from the original tale, and I am in two minds about it. While I understood why Elisa made the choice she did, especially after everything she had endured, and even salute her for it, I am still in two minds about the ending. Of the two, Elisa and the stepmother, Elisa was the true feminist one.

That said, I liked the book and do recommend it to fans of fantasy retellings with a strong heroine, rich world-building, and a dark, atmospheric fairy-tale feel.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc.  All opinions are my own.

* For more info about the book: "The Curse of Feathers" by Kimberly Bea