#@Netgalley

[thecatandthekindle]

Review: Hide by Kiersten White

I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review. Many thanks to Random House UK and to NetGalley for the opportunity.

Sinister is the correct word to describe Hide. This book is sinister from the off. Though there is no immediate link between the opening story of a child going missing at an amusement park in 1973, and Mack, an adult living, or rather hiding out in a modern day homeless shelter. However, when we learn that Mack is being coerced into taking part in a competition in which she must hide in an abandoned amusement park, we begin to see the barest outline of a link. Mack has no doubt she will win. She has been hiding most of her life. As a child she hid while her father butchered her family and she continues to carry the motherlode of survivor’s guilt and fear, driven into dark corners everywhere she goes.

There are fourteen people in the competition, some we never really get to know. White strikes the perfect balance of brief mentions, snappy descriptions painted in a wry and humorous tones, and more in depth characterisations. Among them, there are Sydney with the Youtube prank show and Rebecca the aspiring actress. There are two girls called Ava, one of whom an Instagrammer, obsessing about whether she will be known as Ava One or Ava Two when this competition is released as a reality show, the other a veteran who takes everything as it comes. There are arrogant characters and there are likeable characters. I can see these people in my head and if I struggled I could turn on the TV at any time and see people just like them. Then there’s Mack, standing out more than anyone because she doesn’t want to be noticed. Desperate for company but too afraid to allow it.

The rules are set, hide in the amusement park by day, eat, sleep and recharge by night. Two people are knocked out of the competition every 24 hours. For Mack, though, something doesn’t add up. There is no drum roll or fanfair heralding the departure of the failed competitors, but there is a creature snuffling and stalking its way round the park, and then there is blood. The build up is so good that the monster reveal is almost an anticlimax but it turns out that human monsters can be the most disturbing.

This book has a horror movie structure: slow build of sinister, suspenseful questions, a violent, explosive climax and an ending that doesn’t quite resolve everything.

The most compelling words in this book, though, come after the ending, where White describes her inspiration for the story. Here is an author with some quality rage building. If you want you could read this book looking for allegorical parallels to modern society. Or you could just enjoy the ride.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#@kierstenwhite #@randomhouseuk #@netgalley #Hide #horror fiction #horror stories #AbandonedAmusementParks #book reviews #@catandkindle #thecatandthekindle

[kiraleighart]

So I heard you like free transmasc psychological thrillers with unkillable bastards surviving hell and finding HEA

In 1997, New York City, a petty criminal named Alex Voss is about to die via bullet shot right between the eyes by his criminal employer: Boris. But was he really a petty criminal, or something even stranger? As all roads lead to death, he recounts his tragic life one last time; murder, sex, drugs, rock and roll, losing his mind and failing at being a true hero. There’s no escape from his tragic ending. At least, that’s how it’s meant to play out. As events fail to line up, is Alex’s mind breaking the fourth wall, has he finally succumbed to madness, or did a deus ex machina from the future save him from himself? It might just be all three, actually.

Hi Tumblr bookworms. I've been sitting on INDIGO VOSS for over a year and I think it's finally time.

If you'd like to champion indie trans literature, please signup for the ARC of INDIGO VOSS. Score an eBook, read, and give me your honest thoughts. Please note there are CWs on the landing page. This is a complex novel about hope against all odds and learning to transcend your damage. Good luck. 💜

Read INDIGO VOSS, Free

#free books #books to read #booklr #psychological thriller #books and reading #advanced reader copy #read #netgalley #book recommendations #trans men #crime drama #book #writeblr #ownvoices #writing #new books #indie author

[wardenclyffe]

My next book, Mercury, is coming out this September!

Aboard the colony ship, Mercury, 19-year-old Lucy yearns to know more about her deceased father, much to the ire of her mother, the captain.

When a mysterious meteor strands Lucy twenty years in the past, she finds herself face-to-face with her teenage mother and realizes they may have more in common than she originally thought.

As rifts in space threaten to destroy the Mercury, Lucy looks for a way to save the ship and, with any luck, get back to her own time.

I'm hosting a Goodreads giveaway until June 30th if you want to win an advance copy!

Check out the Goodreads giveaway here.

And if you're a book blogger who's interested in writing an advance review, check out the book on NetGalley!

#bookish #booklr #netgalley #goodreads #indie author #books #scifi #book blog #book recommendations

[maddiviner]

Reading Journals!? Why You Really Should!!

I'm writing this to promote the concept of reading journals in general for occultists! 

It often seems like, while a lot of us read a ton, we don't engage enough with what we read. It's very important to think critically about the information we consume.

Keeping records of it can be helpful for that. While not everyone's going to vibe with it, I do recommend giving it a try for most witches, diviners, wizards, etc... you might like it. Keeping a reading journal? It has some advantages IMHO.

I found it works very well for keeping track of my reading goals. It also helped me engage more with what I was reading. I think this produced an altogether more interesting experience when reading fiction, too.

I learned more when reading nonfiction, and it helped prep reviews for this very website, too. It's kind of hard recently, because of health issues, but I want to keep a daily reading habit as best I can. I might change up my journaling format, though, which I'll discuss towards the end of this article.

To begin, you need a journal. Any blank notebook will work. A lot of people swear by dot grid journals. I use those for most other things. For my reading journal, I bought a pre-printed one called Kunitsa, and there are others on the market, too.

Beyond that, you only need a pen. I use a lot of highlighters and other color in my reading journal, to make tracking things more fun. Next, you're going to want to include a table of contents for your reading journal if possible. In fact, I recommend doing that for all journals, but that's another story entirely. If you pick a pre-printed reading journal like mine, choose one with such a feature.

If you're a DIYer, leave a few blank pages at the beginning of your notebook for the table of contents. Usually four or five pages will do for a table of contents, depending on the size of the journal itself. Including a table of contents can also help get past those first-page jitters if it's a blank book.

A reading journal can include an inventory of your library. My own library is digital because I have to cross the Atlantic on a frequent basis. Those with physical books might find it useful to catalogue everything, particularly favorites.

This could even include where it's stashed. Given that I could easily print a list of mine, my journal doesn't have this, but yours could. You could also organize your library based on the criteria of your choice. I do this digitally, and it can be great to be able to pull out a list of (for example) all the Tarot books I own, favorites, etc..

Keep track of your reading goals! This is the big one, of course. I try to read at least thirty minutes per day, and I log each day I meet that goal. A reading journal can include a simple daily reading tracker like mine, or variations on that.

Some people might track how many pages they've read, or even chapters, for example. You can, of course, include your To Be Read list, adding to it and crossing out as needed.

Keep track of books, authors and topics. You'll want to include a page or two for each book you read, with meaningful quotations and your own thoughts. Some people get quite elaborate with this, including diagrams, images, and such.

I stick to quoting the parts I found important, then adding my own notes. If you buy a reading journal, choose one formatted for both fiction and nonfiction. These little "spreads" on each book help a ton if you want to prepare reviews later on, or just to keep track of what you’ve read for the future.

The reading journal I've been using has a section for borrowed books. Since all my books are Kindle, and I don't typically borrow books, I repurposed this for my review schedule. You can create your own spread for that kind of thing if you're doing a DIY approach, which would be even better.

Because I didn't see a use for the first two pages of the notebook, I turned them into a little pocket using washi tape. I figure that if necessary, I can include extra trackers/etc on my own paper in the pocket. I haven't done that yet, but I probably will in the new year. Currently, the pocket only contains some unused stickers.

You could, of course, get much more complicated with a reading journal! It's all up to you. I plan to use a similar setup next time around, but doing it myself in a (larger) dot grid notebook. The preprinted version of a reading journal worked well to get me started. Now that I've got the basics figured out, I want to customize things more.

All and all, I know most occultists love journaling. At least, many of us do. But why don't more of us journal about what we read? Dedicating a notebook just for a reading journal worked great for me, and might work for you, too.

I'd look into different options (preprinted, blank notebooks, digital) before getting started. Don't be afraid to mess up, like with any new notebook. It can become a way of looking deeper into what you're reading, though.

#witchblr #magic #witchcraft #witch #occult #witch community #eliza.txt #journal #books #reading #studyblr #journaling #bujo #bullet journal #bullet journaling #writing #readblr #netgalley #reviews #eliza reads

[pagesandpothos]

Spitting Gold by Carmella Lowkis

Spitting Gold by Carmella Lowkis was such a pleasant surprise for me! It's a mystery, historical fiction, and family drama with captivating characters and complex relationships.

The story is set in 1866 in France and is about two sisters, Sylvie and Charlotte, who formerly worked as fraudulent mediums and conned wealthy families out of money. The job was part of their family business built by their mother, who has since passed, and their father who is currently very ill. The father's illness reunites the sisters for one last con, but this new job sets off a string of events that leads to wide-ranging consequences.

Both sisters are complex characters and have complicated feelings towards each other. The story references Charles Perrault's The Fairies throughout. The Fairies tells the story of one good sister and one bad sister. Spitting Gold argues that the story would be far more nuanced than that. All stories have more than one side. Sylvie and Charlotte are both the good sisters and the bad sisters. They love each other dearly but also harbor anger and resentment. They both make decisions that both hurt and help the other. They are both doing their best in the world they are living in. This complexity makes for such a riveting story!

While the sisters and their relationship is the star of Spitting Gold, I also loved the mystery plot and the cast of side characters. There's also a sweet Sapphic love story entwined (and a few other delightful queer characters too).

I highly recommend Spitting Gold to anyone who loves gothic mysteries and stories about thorny family relationships. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and it's a story that will stick with me for a long time!

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Tropes/Tags: mystery, historical, gothic, Sapphic, queer

If you liked this I think you will like Spitting Gold: The London Séance Society by Sarah Penner

Links: Storygraph | GoodReads

Spitting Gold will be released on May 14, 2024, and is available for pre-order!

This book was made available to me in advance thanks to NetGalley! I received a free digital copy of this book in exchange for this review. The above are my honest feelings on the provided book.

#Carmella Lowkis #Spitting Gold #netgalley #arc review #book review #books #queer books #best of 2024

[novlr]

I've just finished my first novel and am looking for ways to market it. A friend of mine mentioned NetGalley, but I've only ever used it as a reader. Do you know anything about how writers use it?

Thanks!

Ooh, we love NetGalley! I (Pamela) have been a long-time NetGalley user on the reader side, but it definitely has a lot to offer indie authors, too, not just trad published ones.

Check out this post in the Reading Room for the Pros and Cons of NetGalley if you're a self-published author.

#netgalley #digital galley #ebooks #book marketing #writers #creative writing #writing #writing community #writers of tumblr #creative writers #writing inspiration #writeblr #writerblr #writing tips #indie publishing #publishing #self publishing #tips for writers #publishing tips #writblr #writers corner #book marketing tips #advance review copy #advance reader copy #writer #writing advice #writing resources #writers on tumblr #writers and poets #book publishing

[mermaidsirennikita]

ARC REVIEW: In Want of a Viscount by Lorraine Heath

4.5/5. Releases 2/20/2024.

Vibes: a genuine good guy hero, Business Bitches, sex beyond p -> v, and a mind for business with a bod for sin!!!!!

Heat Index: 6/10

The Viscount of Wyeth--AKA Rook, because Chessmen: MASTERS OF SEDUCTION!!!, the greatest series title of all time--is known for having a keen eye for investments. What he isn't known for is raking about town, because he's determined to be different from his horrible father, a man more known for the illegitimate children he abandoned (or worse) than anything else. But a chance, anonymous encounter with a mysterious young woman has his strict sense of self-control shaken... until he realizes that she's the American Leonora Garrison, a secret businesswoman who's accompanied her less-talented brother on a hunt for investors. Like Rook! They try to keep it strictly professional--but their attraction to each other could ruin Leonora's dreams before they come to fruition.

Look man, it's Lorraine Heath. She knows what the fuck she's doing, always. This is one of her less dramatic romances, I would say, but the character beats and the swoony "oh my god we're falling in love" of it all is unmatched. It's not so much about twists and tricks as it is about Rook and Leonora falling deeply in love, with a pitch-perfect ramp up of sexual tension that culminates in the best way possible. I can be persnickety about a slow burn--but Lorraine proves that when the author is talented, it works HARD.

Quick Takes:

--You absolutely can read this as a standalone, but I am glad that I went back and read Lorraine's Sins for All Seasons series first. For one thing, that series is just great, and everyone should read it. For another, Rook is technically introduced in The Duchess in His Bed, starring his illegitimate brother Aiden Trewlove (his other illegitimate brother, Finn Trewlove, is the hero of The Scoundrel in Her Bed, one of my most recent Lorraine favorites). There is a good bit of layering of Rook's backstory related to their father, and if you're intrigued by that after reading this--you probably will be, it's fascinating--absolutely check that series out.

In a lot of ways, this felt like an emotional culmination. You really see how Rook has matured here, and is so valiantly trying to reach his own impossible standards. He's very literally atoning for the sins of his father, and it kind of breaks your heart. On the bright side, however, this brings in not only the Trewloves but some cameos from Lorraine's Stanwick books... and I'm never mad at that!

--Going back to Rook, though... He really is a good dude. And I'm a tough sell on a good guy hero. I feel like a lot of authors write them simply to keep stories uncomplicated, and not because they actually care about the characterization. The thing is--Lorraine has always been one of the only authors who nails a good guy hero every time. Because characterization? It's her thing.

You feel that Rook is deeply good, and you feel exactly how deeply he believes in his efforts to be morally upright and restrained. He's taken responsibility for a lot of things that really have nothing to do with him. However, it's also clear that a part of growing up that he hasn't quite confronted is like... admitting that he's human. He wants things. He wants sex. And it's honestly really fun to see him become this horny mess over Leonora.

--Leonora is the kind of heroine we really don't get enough of in historicals. She's kind of nerdy, but it's really most of a "business bitch" kind of nerdy. And I think that gels really well with where she's coming from--this bustling Gilded Age America where there's a lot of risk and a lot of (potential) reward. But this is about more than just gambling on a dream--it's about keeping her father's memory alive. That alone really ups the stakes here.

I also loved how geeky she was about taking things apart (literally) and how much that amused Rook.

--Lorraine Heath watches The Gilded Age (although literally anything she's written ever in her life blows that show out of the water). You can absolutely tell. Leonora's mother is right out of the Bertha Russell playbook. She wants to get into Mrs. Astor's ballroom!!! And yes, she will be a total asshole to get there if necessary!!!

I actually really loved that Rook and Leonora could subtly bond over having shitty parents, even if Leonora's mother wasn't on the level of Rook's father. It was one of those moments of commiseration.

--Okay, so... the scene where Rook caresses Leonora's foot while "inspecting her shoe for pebbles" is everything it's cracked up to be, and it is further evidence that deep within every Lorraine Heath hero is a Thing for Feet.

The Sex:

I loved how sex was approached in this one. Because Rook is so worried about fathering bastards like his father did, he's very reluctant to sleep around, and when he does, he places a HUGE emphasis on non-penetrative sex. In other words, as he amazingly put it to Leonora in one of my favorite scenes in the book:"fucking without fucking".

In romance in general, but perhaps especially in het books, and especially in historicals, penetrative sex is seen as the end-all be-all. I loved having a historical romance hero who really was more about.... other things. Especially things centering Leonora's pleasure. Like, it does drag out the sexual tension. And I really do love it when a hero who thinks he's Got It Together finds out he Most Definitely Doesn't (... which.... a rude awakening for our boy Rook).

While this is definitely one of Lorraine's softer books, it's also one of her more character-focused ones. It's sweepingly romantic, it's about breaking cycles and recovering from emotional trauma, and it's definitely for the "ridiculous amount of sexual tension in the best possible way" girlies.

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Preorder:

Amazon

B&N

Bookshop.org

#romance novel blogging #arc reviews #netgalley #book recs #book reviews #romance novels #reblogging with the preorder links added

[triviareads]

Did someone really look at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's love story, and then American Royalty by Tracey Livesay and go "but what if..... we decided to make her white. And a pop star."

#this is so embarassing #and also a trend?? like I swear i've seen another book on netgalley with a similar premise......... but white #this book has the dubious distinction of wanting harry sorry HUGH to be the heir #oh and there's a lot of princess diana PARDON princess PENELOPE mystery death stuff

[mollyringle]

ARC reviewers wanted!

Please reblog if you know any avid readers who frequently review books online! Especially if they enjoy novels containing: - fae - witches - angst-free queerness - romance - a cozy noblebright mood even amid magical disaster - '90s cover bands I seek reviewers and general word-of-mouth-spreaders for my novel Ballad for Jasmine Town, which contains all of the above. (As to the romance and queerness, the main couple is a trans man and a bi woman, in case you prefer to know such details.) It can be requested on NetGalley and Edelweiss right now, or I could email you an ARC in PDF or epub format.

Here is the publisher page if you’d like to read more about it. (Though distributed by Simon & Schuster, the book is independent-press-published. The publishing world is complicated.) For those who've read Lava Red Feather Blue: it takes place in the same country and has some overlapping events, but you don't have to read one book to make sense of the other. They are both stand-alones. Thank you in advance, and I hope it finds some happy readers!

#please reblog #books #queer books #ballad for jasmine town #netgalley #arc #book reviewers #urban fantasy #fae books #witchy books #noblebright #queer fantasy #small presses #trans representation #bi representation #queer representation

[ninsiana0]

Read WHAT FEASTS AT NIGHT by T. Kingfisher if you love remote villages, disreputable cabins in the woods, mysterious illnesses, nightmares, fungi, strongly spiced sausage, trauma narratives, endless cups of tea, propriety, knives & very good horses.

I received an advance copy of this book for review.

#Read This If #WHAT FEASTS AT NIGHT #WHAT MOVES THE DEAD #T. Kingfisher #readers of tumblr #readers on tumblr #book recs #book reviews #book recommendations #readmore #i read books #netgalley #advance copy #book #books #i love books #nonbinary character

[scifrey]

Okay, so remember how I've been Ded Of Editing this last year and just absolutely consumed by bookish stuff?

The bookish stuff is now out in the world.

TIME AND TIDE

Releases November 2024.

Exciting news: the eGalley is up on NetGalley and Edelweiss! This means, with the promise of an honest review, you could potentially read the book right now. However, if you're not interested in an ARC, you can preorder your Copy Here.

*

Historical fiction with a touch of time travel, for fans of Diana Gabaldon, Alexis Hall, and Olivia Waite’s Feminine Pursuits series, where a modern bisexual woman is thrown into Regency England and must figure out how to survive, while she falls in love with a woman who will become a famous author.

Just a twenty-first century gal with nineteenth-century problems…

When Sam’s plane crashes catastrophically over the Atlantic, it defies all odds for Sam to be the sole survivor. But it seems impossible that she’s rescued by a warship in 1805. With a dashing sea captain as her guide, she begins to find her footing in a world she’d only seen in movies.

Then Sam is betrayed. At the mercy of the men and morals of the time, and without the means to survive on her own, she’s left with no choice but to throw herself on the charity of the captain's sisters. She resigns herself to a quiet life of forever hiding her true self. What she doesn't expect is that her new landlady is Margaret Goodenough—the world-famous author whose yet-to-be-completed novel will contain the first lesbian kiss in the history of British Literature, and a clever woman. Clever enough to know her new companion has a secret.

As the two women grow ever closer, Sam must tread the tenuous line between finding her own happiness in a place where she doesn’t think she’ll ever fit in, and possibly (accidentally) changing the course of history.

#I can't freaking believe I'm being published by Penguin Random House #netgalley #edelwiss #egalley #arcs #advance reader copies #preorder #novel #fiction #book #amwriting #sapphic romance #bisexual romance #bisexual #bi romance #sapphic #sapphic books #time travel #regency romance #j.m. frey #advance book #review copy #advance review #book review #romance novel #romance books #time travel romance #writing #oh my god there are people reading my book right now

[inabooknook]

The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton

This book had a very interesting premise. The story follows an island at the very end of the world - a fog has taken over the rest of the planet, and the island is populated with some people who have found a way to keep the fog at bay. However, a murder occurs which sets into motion the fog coming for the rest.

The book was interesting and unique, unlike most other books I've read recently. The story was engaging, the twists were unexpected, and it was hard to predict what would occur next. I liked it because it was definitely different, and given many books nowadays, that is generally hard to come by.

I would recommend this as something for anyone who enjoys a good thriller but is tired of formulaic writing, and predictable endings. At no point during this book did I have any idea what would come next. Highly recommend!

#booklr #reading #books #netgalley #book recommendations #book reviews #fiction #book review #bookstagram #thriller #the last murder at the end of the world #stuart turton #mystery

[wardenclyffe]

Exciting news! Mercury, the second book in the Wardenclyffe Series, will be releasing later this year!

Aboard the colony ship, Mercury, 19-year-old Lucy yearns to know more about her deceased father, much to the ire of her mother, the captain.

When a mysterious meteor strands Lucy twenty years in the past, she finds herself face-to-face with her teenage mother and realizes they may have more in common than she originally thought.

As rifts in space threaten to destroy the Mercury, Lucy looks for a way to save the ship and, with any luck, get back to her own time.

Check it out on NetGalley here!

#scifi #bookish #netgalley #indie author #reading #books #scifibooks #ya sci fi #booklr

[elliepassmore]

A Letter to the Luminous Deep review

5/5 stars Recommended if you like: light academia, fantasy, mysteries, epistolary narrative, mental illness rep, LGBTQ+ characters

Big thanks to Netgalley, Orbit, and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book starts out relatively slow, and even when it picks up this is a character-driven novel more than a plot-driven one. I've seen it likened to Emily Wilde's, which I would have to agree with, and imo the pacing is pretty similar between the two. With that said, I think the pacing benefits this kind of novel and I enjoyed the unfolding of events and character relationships over the course of the book.

Likewise, this book is written epistolary style, so through letters and journal entries, which I've noticed becoming more of a thing recently. I think it's a really interesting way of telling a story and think it's a great way both to get to know a character and to introduce narrator unreliability (Henerey himself even points out that he purposefully will not write certain things down since he does not want them to be read). I think the way Cathrell utilized the epistolary narrative style for this novel was brilliant. The events that occur are, in and of themselves, a mystery and by having those events told via letter, the mystery is compounded through two layers of characters revealing things. It's a super interesting way to go through a mystery novel and I feel it added to the experience and the suspense. We already know the ending, but E. and Henerey nor Sophy and Vy nor us know how that ending happened, and only the latter two groups are going into this mystery with the knowledge of how it ends.

The world in this novel is quite interesting. It's a mostly-aquatic society that had to rebuild after falling out of the sky 1000 years prior in an event known as the Dive. It seemed to have decimated technology, land masses, and a good portion of the population, though society is now flourishing on it's three "campuses," each of which have slightly different cultures and seem to prize different virtues. I liked getting the snippets about the world and how it functioned, as well as getting to know the names for the animals of the world (some of them are familiar, most are variations on what we would know, such as the "toothed whale"). I look forward to learning more about the world in book 2.

The book is pretty evenly split between E. and Henerey's correspondence and Sophy and Vyerin's, leaning more toward Sophy and Vyerin's. I liked seeing the two sets of relationships grow, with E. and Henerey becoming romantic while Sophy and Vy become friends and help each other heal from the loss of their siblings. I also enjoyed seeing how each group put the puzzle pieces together and the ways in with Vy and Sophy are able to add some additional context both to the mystery as well as to their siblings' lives.

To start with, E. is afflicted with a "Malady of the Brain" with makes her extremely anxious and gives her OCD-like tendencies and thoughts (i.e., she repeatedly checks portholes and airlocks to ensure the Deep House is secure, feeling as though the house will spring a leak and kill her otherwise; she also has major intrusive thoughts), and ensures that she has spent most of her adult life within the confines of the Deep House. Despite her anxiety, she pens the letter to Henerey that gets their relationship, and the mystery, started. E. is remarkably inquisitive and seems to have a broad depth of knowledge in multiple subjects, not least ocean life and fantasy novels (two things she and Henerey bond over). I enjoyed getting tidbits about her childhood and seeing her open up to Henerey and their shared intellectual pursuits.

Henerey comes across as a mix of level-headed and endearingly enthusiastic (and nervous). He takes E. seriously from the get-go and the two are intellectual matches as they talk over the ocean, life, and novels. It's clear that Henerey is excited to have made a friend and I liked how much he cared about E.'s interests and opinions. I do feel that we didn't get to know him as well as some of the other characters, so I would like more insight into Henerey if possible in book 2 (Vyerin will def be in it, so hopefully he can provide more insight).

Speaking of, Vyerin felt very realistic to me. He still clearly misses his brother and is grieving his loss, even a year out from when it occurred. This has prevented him from doing much reading into Henerey's personal affects, but as he and Sophy converse via letter, he's able to reconnect with his brother through those letters and begin to both heal and become invigorated for the mystery central to the novel. While Vy seems more 'stuck' in the grief cycle as compared to Sophy (not to say Sophy isn't grieving still too), he's also able to be humorous at times and I enjoyed his quips, as well as the moments when he revealed more about his husband and children.

Sophy seems to have moved a step or two further in the grieving process than Vy, but she too still deeply misses her sister. She comes across as very determined, and even though she isn't in the career position she was in when E. died, she's still very academic in nature and approaches things in a very systematic and logical manner. I particularly enjoyed Sophy's letters because they gave insight not just into the E. and Henerey affair, but also into the Ridge Expedition, which was a major scientific expedition Sophy was on when the whole thing with E-H was going down. The expedition was alluded to have ended abruptly and to have returned few results, but imo it's clear from the get-go that the mission somehow ties in with what happened to E. and Henerey as well as into the book's central mystery.

Overall I greatly enjoyed this book and found myself immersed in the characters and the world. It's definitely slow paced but I think it works for the story and the narrative style. I absolutely love the epistolary nature of the story and the way both the story and the mystery unfolded in dual 'timelines.' I'm greatly looking forward to the sequel!

#book #book review #books #book recommendations #fantasy #bookstagram #booklr #bookblr #bookaholic #bookish #ligh academia #fantasy books #sci fi book #sci fi #water world #epistolary narrative #a letter to the luminous deep #netgalley #netgalley reads #netgalley review #advanced readers copy

[pagesandpothos]

The Sins On Their Bones by Laura R. Samotin

I had no idea what to expect when I started The Sins On Their Bones by Laura R. Samotin. I saw that it was blurbed by several queer romantasy authors that I like, so I requested it from NetGalley on a whim and was happy to dive in. I'm so glad I did. It was not what I was expecting but it is an interesting and dark fantasy that I enjoyed discovering.

First of all, if there are things that could trigger you, be sure to read the content warnings before you start this book! This novel deals with some very heavy topics and the author has kindly included detailed warnings on her website (there's also some stunning character art for you to seek out while you're there).

The Sins On Their Bones is inspired by Jewish mysticism and folklore and is a high fantasy set in a world similar to Eastern Europe in the 19th century. Dimitri Alexeyev, one of the main POV characters and a former Tszar, has recently lost a brutal civil war to his vicious and newly immortal ex-husband, Alexey Balakin.

At the story's start, Dimitri is in hiding in the Free States with his closest friends and former members of his royal court: Vasily, his most trusted spy; Annika, who once led his army; Ladushka, his political advisor, and Mischa, his royal physician. Dimitri still harbors a lot of guilt (and other complicated feelings) about Alexey, the war, and the consequences of it. When Vasily brings word that Alexey is building an army to invade the Free States the group hatches a dangerous plan to finally defeat Dimitri's monstrous ex.

The novel cycles through three POVs. Along with Dimitri, we also get chapters from Alexey and Vasily. All three POVs are engaging and each adds different things to the story. Jumping back and forth through their parts of the story moved the plot along steadily while also filling in the needed backstory. Vasily's chapters, in particular, give a lot of clarity to the backstory which was one of the many reasons that his chapters quickly became my favorite.

The plot of this is fast-paced, dark, and full of religious and political themes. I also found it surprising and not predictable at all. Multiple moments shocked me and had me frantically flipping pages to see what would happen next.

The characters are also likable. Vasily, as I've already mentioned, is a fantastic character. Dimitri is sympathetic and has a nice arc of growth and healing. Alexey is a terrifying and well-written villain. Annika, Ladushka, and Mischa round out the main cast as dynamic characters with a lovely "found family" relationship (together with Dimitri and Vasily).

The Sins On Their Bones is a unique and very queer dark fantasy. I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys classic tales of good versus evil in their fantasy!

Other Points:

Alexey reminds me of The Darkling from the Shadow and Bone trilogy.

There may be a Doctor Who reference?

There is an asexual character and a non-binary character along with the many same-sex relationships that the book features.

The whole book is delightfully queer normative with most of the main characters and several side characters being casually queer. There's no drama or trauma around their identities.

I also liked how the author wove Judaism into the world.

Did I mention how much I love Vasily?

The last 25% of the book is tense, action-packed, emotional, and surprising. It is almost impossible to put down!

The ending is satisfying while also setting up issues for a future sequel.

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Tropes/Tags: achillean, queer, Jewish fantasy, dark fantasy, Hurt/Comfort, found family

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️/5. There are multiple sex scenes (various m/m pairings) that are "Open Door" and mildly descriptive.

Content Warnings: Full list from the author

If you liked this I think you will like The Sins On Their Bones: The Shadow and Bone series for the Eastern European inspiration. This is a much more gory and adult version though!

Links: Storygraph | GoodReads | LauraRSamotin.com

The Sins On Their Bones will be released on May 7, 2024, and is available for pre-order!

This book was made available to me in advance thanks to NetGalley! I received a free digital copy of this book in exchange for this review. The above are my honest feelings on the provided book.

#The Sins On Their Bones #Laura R Samotin #queer books #book review #netgalley #arc review #books #best of 2024

[geryone]

Worst part of no longer living alone is that I can’t stay up with all the lights on in the apartment reading until 2am

#I would like to finish my reread of fourth wing tonight but my sister works all day tomorrow so I’m in bed #I’m looking at my NetGalley and kindle to see if I find something good