Stray Dogs - Tony Fleecs and Trish Fornstner

 

Title: Stray Dogs

Author: Tony Fleecs and Trish Fornstner

Publisher: Image Comics, 2021 (Paperback)

Length: 144 pages

Genre: Adult; Graphic Novel, Horror

Started: December 13, 2021

Finished: December 13, 2021

Summary: 

From the back of the book:

Meet Sophie, a dog who can't remember what happened. She doesn't know how she ended up in this house. She doesn't recognize any of these other dogs. She knows something terrible happened but she just...can't...recall...Wait! Where's her lady?

A heartbreakingly adorable suspense thriller by My Little Pony comic artists Tony Fleecs and Trish Fornstner.

Review:

I first saw this recommended on TikToK a while back, and I'm always up for a gritty graphic novel that isn't superhero related. And boy, does this ever deliver on the horror and suspense. The cute art style is deceiving, this is some pretty disturbing stuff. 

The story opens with Sophie being brought by a man to a house full of dogs and she can't remember how she got there. The other dogs show her the ropes and talk of the master who saved them from their previous homes. Sophie is still on edge, and it isn't until the master wraps Sophie in a scarf that she remembers why. The master is actually a serial killer, her lady was one of his victims, and he collects his victims' dogs as trophies. The other dogs don't believe her (they also don't remember their old lives) until Sophie urges them to explore the areas of the house they aren't allowed in, where they find photos of their previous owners and other mementos from past killings. Now that the dogs know the truth, how are they going to escape from the master?

This book is a perfect example of graphic novels pushing the limits of their genre and what is typical of it. Again, the cutesy art style is deceiving here because this book is definitely not for children. It's not overly graphic or gory (in my opinion), but trigger warning: the content does show flashbacks to the murders, and some of the dogs suffer injuries and death at the hands of the master in the second half of the story, so sensitive readers are going to want to pass on this one. If you can handle the sensitive content it's a great, gripping story that does end happily for the most part, and coming from the perspective of the dogs is wonderfully creative. 

I purchased this edition, which has a gallery at the end of all the variant covers from each issue in the series.

This one is my favourite though:

Recommendation: 

If you're in the mood for something gritty and new, or if you ever wondered what would happen if Don Bluth made a horror movie, give this graphic novel a read. If you can't handle movies/stories where the dog gets hurt or dies, then you'd better pass on this. 

Thoughts on the cover:

I much prefer the original cover (image at the top of the review) to my special edition copy cover (middle image). The original is more unsettling compared to the special edition, which feels more juvenile. 

The Secret Garden on 81st Street - Ivy Nicole Weir and Amber Padilla

 

Title: The Secret Garden on 81st Street: A Modern Graphic Retelling of The Secret Garden

Author: Ivy Nicole Weir and Amber Padilla

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company, 2021 (Paperback)

Length: 250 pages

Genre: Children's/Young Adult; Graphic Novel, Classic

Started: December 8, 2021

Finished: December 8, 2021

Summary:

From the back of the book:

Celebrate 110 years of Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden with this vibrant, contemporary graphic novel retelling!

Video games and tech are loner Mary Lennox's main source of entertainment and "friends" in her Silicon Valley home. But when her parents are killed in a tragic accident, Mary's life is uprooted to New York City to live with an uncle she barely knows and, to her surprise, keeps a gadget-free home. Looking for comfort in this strange, new reality, Mary discovers an abandoned rooftop garden and an even bigger secret in an upstairs bedroom: her cousin, Colin, who struggles with anxiety. With Colin's help and that of a new friend named Dickon, Mary works to restore the garden to its former glory while also learning to grieve, build real friendships, and nurture growth - both in nature and in herself. 

Review:

The Secret Garden was my favourite classic children's book growing up (plus I had the benefit of the gorgeous 90s movie version coming out around the same time as I was reading it), so I was instantly drawn to this one. 

I've always wondered how to properly update classic stories like this for a modern audience (especially considering the colonialism usually present in stories written by British authors from the time) while also addressing issues that modern children would be less likely to understand, like how Colin in the original book could've been bed-ridden and unable to walk due to a suspected illness he didn't even have. This retelling not only addresses those concerns and creates a successful transition to a modern setting, it also retains the message of the original quite well. 

Mary Lennox is the child of workaholic parents in the tech sector in Silicon Valley. She attends school online, gets all her food delivered, and barely gets to interact with her parents at all. When her parents die in a car crash, a surprisingly unemotional Mary is taken to New York City to live with her uncle Archie, his assistant Mrs. Medlock, and their tenant, Martha. Since her uncle doesn't keep a lot of technology in his home, Martha routinely kicks Mary out of the house to go to the nearby museums and galleries. On one of these trips outside, Mary meets a cat named Robin who belongs to Ben, the owner of the local bodega and friend of her uncle and his late husband, Masahiro. Mary learns about Masahiro's passion for plants and gardening, and his rooftop garden that Archie shut away after his husband's death. With the help of Ben and Martha's little brother, Dickon, Mary takes on the task of bringing the garden back to life, discovering the existence of her cousin Colin along the way. 

I always liked how The Secret Garden talks about grief, loss, and healing in a way that kids can understand, and that message isn't lost in this retelling, in fact, I think this edition handles it even better than the original did. Both Mary and Colin are profoundly affected by parental death. Mary can't properly grieve the loss of parents she didn't feel close to, but craves unconditional familial love. Colin is traumatized by witnessing the death of his father, Masahiro, in his garden, and suffers from panic attacks if he tries to leave his room since  his idea of a "safe space" has been upended. The adults in the story are cognizant of the trauma of both children and are highly attuned to giving them what they need to begin to recover and rebuild their lives, and they talk about things with the kids in an honest way that they can understand. It makes for a wonderfully emotionally intelligent story. This is especially prevalent when Mary witnesses Colin having a panic attack and responds poorly to it, to which Colin's therapist meets with Mary to explain what he's going through in a way that Mary can understand to allow her to be more sympathetic to her cousin's needs. 

I also love how diverse this retelling is in so many ways. Mary is biracial, Archie and Colin are black, Masahiro is Japanese, Ben is hispanic, and Martha is drawn with a larger body shape. There's also the nice LGBTQ family portrayal of Archie, Masahiro, and Colin. Even Mrs. Medlock has been softened here and, while still protective of Colin, her motivations are much more understandable and relatable. 

Recommendation:

A wonderful modern retelling brimming with emotion, empathy, and diverse portrayals. Definitely worth the read if you want to introduce this story to a younger generation of readers. 

Thoughts on the cover:

Nice showcase of the art style, and the colour palette is pleasing. 

Her Name Was Margaret - Denise Davy

 

Title: Her Name Was Margaret: Life and Death on the Streets

Author: Denise Davy

Publisher: James Street North Books (Wolsak & Wynn), 2021 (Paperback)

Length: 295 pages

Genre: Adult; Nonfiction

Started: November 30, 2021

Finished: December 4, 2021

Summary:

From the publisher's website:

Margaret Jacobson was a sweet-natured young girl who played the accordion and had dreams of being a teacher until she had a psychotic break in her teens, which sent her down a much darker path. Her Name Was Margaret traces Margaret's life from her childhood to her death as a homeless woman on the streets of Hamilton, Ontario. With meticulous research and deep compassion author Denise Davy analyzed over eight hundred pages of medical records and conducted interviews with Margaret's friends and family, as well as those who worked in psychiatric care, to create this compelling portrait of a woman abandoned by society. 

Through a revolving door of psychiatric admissions to discharges to rundown boarding homes, Davy shows us the grim impact of deinstitutionalization: patients spiralled inexorably towards homelessness and death as psychiatric beds were closed and patients were left to fend for themselves on the streets of cities across North America. Today there are more than 235,000 people in Canada who are counted among the homeless annually and 35,000 who are homeless on any given night. Most of them are struggling with mental health issues. Margaret's story is a heartbreaking illustration of what happens in our society to to our most vulnerable and should serve as a wake-up call to politicians and leaders in cities across Canada. 

Review:

I came across this book through helping to organize a local charity event (Purses for Margaret) through work. We were lucky to get the author, who also founded the charity, to come to speak at the event. A few people attending had already read her book and I couldn't say no after hearing such glowing recommendations, especially since I don't often get to read books about issues happening in my own city. After reading, I can add my own glowing recommendation for this book. It is so human and speaks to such a vital issue that I honestly think everyone should read it. 

The author, Denise Davy, was working as a journalist for the Hamilton Spectator in 1993 when she came across a homeless woman named Margaret at the Wesley Centre while doing research for her articles on homelessness in the city. Intrigued by Margaret's story, the author was granted access to Margaret's massive medical files from the local hospital and began piecing together the puzzle of how she came to be homeless in the first place. 

This book traces Margaret's life from her childhood in Barbados and Antigua as the oldest child of Canadian missionary parents, her onset of mental health struggles at sixteen, admission to psychiatric hospitals in Cambridge and Hamilton beginning at age seventeen, decades of cycling between the hospital and inadequate boarding homes, to her eventual descent into homelessness until her death in 1995 at the age of fifty-one. This book is incredibly well-researched, the author truly did her homework in this regard. She interviewed not only Margaret's estranged family members, but also hospital workers, friends from the shelters, and various people who encountered Margaret in the city. Peppered in between telling the story of Margaret's life the author also gives historical context on psychiatric care and the process of deinstitutionalization, the reason many people like Margaret with severe mental illness are so vulnerable to homelessness in the first place. 

I already knew much of what the author discusses, but having an actual person's story attached to something always makes more of an impact, and Margaret's story proves that the people we see on the streets could just as easily be you or me, or someone we know and care about. It's for this reason that we need to advocate for better mental health care in our country, as well as proper, affordable housing with support structures in place for all people to live with dignity. 

Recommendation:

This book serves a need to have the interwoven story of mental health, affordable housing, and homelessness told with a human face. It needs to be read, and its messages advocated in every city if we truly want to call our society civilized and humane. 

You can buy the book from the publisher's website here: Wolsak and Wynn - Her Name Was Margaret

If you'd like to visit the author's website you can do so here: Denise Davy

Thoughts on the cover:

I love the black and gold colour scheme paired with Margaret's photo, it makes for a compelling cover.

A Marvellous Light - Freya Marske

 

Title: A Marvellous Light

Author: Freya Marske

Publisher: Tor, 2021 (Hardcover)

Length: 372 pages

Genre: Adult; Fantasy, Historical Fiction

Started: November 12, 2021

Finished: November 19, 2021

Summary: 

From the inside cover:

Robin Blyth has more than enough bother in his life. He's struggling to be a good older brother, a responsible employer, and the harried baronet of a seat gutted by his late parents' excesses. When an administrative mistake sees him named the civil service liaison to a hidden magical society, he discovers what's been operating beneath the unextraordinary reality he's always known. 

Now Robin must contend with the beauty and danger of of magic, an excruciating deadly curse, and the alarming visions of the future that will come with it - not to mention Edwin Courcey, his cold and prickly counterpart in the magical bureaucracy, who clearly wishes Robin were anyone and anywhere else. 

Robin's predecessor has disappeared, and the mystery of what happened to him reveals unsettling truths about the very oldest stories they've been told about the land they live on and what binds it. Thrown together and facing unexpected dangers, Robin and Edwin discover a plot that threatens every magician in the British Isles - and a secret that more than one person has already died to keep. 

Review:

This book has been hyped for months now as being an LGBTQ version of Downton Abbey with magic, and after reading it that's a fairly good description but doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of how amazing this book is. 

Robin Blyth's family belongs to the gentry, but poor spending by his late parents have forced him into a job in the civil service to support himself and his younger sister. Robin becomes the replacement to a liaison that's gone missing, and when he discovers that magic exists and there's a ministry devoted to keeping relations between magicians and regular humans peaceful, his amazement is short lived. When he's cursed by men following the trail of his predecessor, Robin and his magician coworker, Edwin Courcey, have to uncover the mysteries behind Robin's curse and the impending doom facing them all. 

First off, the characters in the book are both endearing and well-rounded. Robin is an insecure ray of sunshine, and Edwin is a weak magician who's constantly reminded of his shortcomings by his powerful family, so he has a bit of a chip on his shoulder. I appreciate how the author made Edwin a weak magician so he's forced to use his intelligence and voracious reading to compensate when he's in a bind. Both men have baggage they need to work through, in addition to the issues of being gay men in the book's Edwardian setting. Their relationship is handled well (the dialogue between them is phenomenal) and in my opinion there's nothing better than unresolved sexual tension in a library (except for maybe the sex scenes that come after that). 

Though the characters and their development were by far my favourite aspect of the book, the plot wasn't too bad either and the story is engaging. The prose itself is wonderfully done, and there's quite a lot of stand-out lines throughout the book. The author even addresses the elephant in the room (aka colonialism) that's brought up whenever you set a book in historical Britain by having Indian secondary characters that aren't simply tokens. 

Recommendation:

This was a beautiful read and a lovely example of LGBTQ fantasy that's actually handled well. It's the first book in a planned series, so I look forward to the subsequent books. 

Thoughts on the cover:

The pattern and colour palette do a good job of echoing the time period, and Robin and Edwin in the centre is a nice touch. 

Under the Whispering Door - TJ Klune

 

Title: Under the Whispering Door

Author: TJ Klune

Publisher: Tor, 2021 (Hardcover)

Length: 373 pages

Genre: Adult; Fantasy

Started: October 17, 2021

Finished: October 24, 2021

Summary: 

From the inside cover:

Welcome to Charon's Crossing.

The tea is hot, the scones are fresh, and the dead are just passing through. 

When a Reaper comes to collect Wallace from his own funeral, Wallace begins to suspect he might be dead. 

And when Hugo, the owner of a peculiar tea shop, promises to help him cross over, Wallace decides he's definitely dead. 

But even in death he's not ready to abandon the life he barely lived, so when Wallace is given one week to cross over, he sets about living a lifetime in seven days.

Hilarious, haunting, and kind, Under the Whispering Door is an uplifting story about a life spent at the office and a death spent building a home. 

Review:

When I read House in the Cerulean Sea earlier this summer, I knew I'd read anything this author wrote. When I found out his new book would be out at the end of September, I pre-ordered it. The House in the Cerulean Sea has a very different type of premise compared to Under the Whispering Door so although I personally enjoyed the former more, all the things I liked about it show up in the latter. 

Wallace Price is a very good lawyer, but he's not well-liked. He's not a great boss, romantic partner, or human being in general, he reminds me of a younger version of Scrooge from A Christmas Carol. When Wallace drops dead of a heart attack at age 40 and ends up witnessing his own sparsely attended funeral, a Reaper named Mei shows up and takes him to the next waypoint on his journey: a tea shop. Hugo, a ferryman, has the job of guiding lost souls the the next stage in the afterlife, and Wallace can only move on when he's ready. In addition to Mei and Hugo, the tea shop is also home to the spirits of Nelson, Hugo's grandfather, and Apollo, his dog. As Wallace grows closer to the inhabitants of Charon's Crossing, he realizes that he never really lived his life while he was alive, and seeks to rectify that in death. 

You can tell that Under the Whispering Door was a personal endeavour for the author, he says exactly that in the acknowledgements in the back. It gives the novel the authenticity that only someone who's suffered intense grief could contribute, and it works here. The author's writing style is engaging and pulls you in right from the beginning, and the characters are simply phenomenal; you can't help but love them, even Wallace. 

Hugo may as well be a saint (or maybe he was a social worker in another life) for how patient and kind he is to everyone he meets, and has the wisdom that people usually only learn about in therapy. Wallace is not  so unlikeable that he turns readers off, his sense of humour and ability to admit when he's wrong save him in that way. The addition of Mei, Nelson, and Apollo are welcome ones since the whole family functions so well together, and Nelson and Wallace have some amazingly funny conversations about how to be a ghost in the early chapters of the book (Mei is just hilarious in general and her energy is infectious). 

I find it amazing that a book so steeped in death is actually pretty light-hearted (for the most part, there are some real tearjerkers at the end). If I had any issues with this book, it would be that the ending feels a bit rushed and tacked on. 

Recommendation:

If you're a fan of the author in general or have read The House in the Cerulean Sea, you'll enjoy this newest novel. If you're interested in reading a story about a unique take on the afterlife that's not completely depressing, give this a shot. 

Thoughts on the cover:

I love the design of Charon's Crossing for the cover, it adds to the atmosphere of the overall story, plus the colour palette here is nicely pleasing. 

A Discovery of Witches - Deborah Harkness

 

Title: A Discovery of Witches (All Souls Trilogy, Book 1)

Author: Deborah Harkness

Publisher: Penguin, 2011 (Paperback)

Length: 579 pages

Genre: Adult; Fantasy

Started: August 12, 2021

Finished: August 20, 2021

Summary:

From the back cover:

Deep in the heart of Oxford's Bodleian Library, Diana Bishop - a young scholar and the descendant of witches - unearths an enchanted alchemical manuscript. Wanting nothing to do with sorcery, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery has set a fantastical underworld stirring, and soon a horde of daemons, witches, and other creatures descends upon the library. Among them is Matthew Clairmont, a vampire with a keen interest in the book. Equal parts history and magic, romance and suspense, A Discovery of Witches is a mesmerizing and addictive tale of passion and obsession that reveals the closely guarded secrets of an enchanted world. 

Review:

Yeah, I know, I'm a little late to the party on this book, and no, I didn't pick this up because of the show (although now post-read I definitely want to watch it). I'm glad this recommendation came my way, it's a great fantasy read set in the modern world (at least this first instalment is) that appeals to the academic in me. 

Dr. Diana Bishop is the last of the Bishop witches, raised in New England and working as a science historian at Oxford. This is a world where creatures (vampires, witches, daemons) exist alongside humans, but humans aren't aware of their existence. Diana knows the rule: one group can't associate with the other or risk attracting attention; so when she unknowingly unlocks a secret tome that's been sought after for centuries, her safety is in jeopardy when all manner of creatures start stalking her, including Matthew Clairmont. Matthew and Diana then become embroiled in the mystery of the book and how it affects both their futures. 

Again, the academic setting of this novel appeals to me. There were so many points where Diana would do or say something very stereotypically academic and I'd be laughing in sympathy, she's a character after my own heart. Plus, the idea of a person bonding with an ancient creature over their shared scholarship in an ancient library (especially when said creature has first-hand experiences contrasted with the person's second-hand accounts) is probably the most nerdy meet-cute ever. The characters are well-developed and the pacing and world building are well-done too. 

Recommendation:

If you're a fantasy reader who likes a bit more academia and romance in your stories, give this series a try. There are two subsequent instalments which I have in my TBR pile that I hope are just as good as the first.

Thoughts on the cover:

I love the old-school celestial and astrological symbols with Oxford buildings lining the bottom of the image. The other covers in the series are done in a similar style, and I always appreciate continuity in series covers. 

Divergent Mind - Jenara Nerenberg

 

Title: Divergent Mind: Thriving in a World That Wasn't Designed for You

Author: Jenara Nerenberg

Publisher: HarperOne, 2020 (Hardcover)

Length: 244 pages

Genre: Adult; Nonfiction

Started: August 6, 2021

Finished: August 8, 2021

Summary:

From the inside cover:

A paradigm-shifting study of neurodivergent women - those with ADHD, autism, synesthesia, high sensitivity, and sensory processing disorder - exploring why these traits are over-looked and how society benefits from allowing their unique strengths to flourish.

As a Harvard- and Berkeley-educated writer, entrepreneur, and devoted mother, Jenara Nerenberg was shocked to discover that her "symptoms" - only ever labeled as anxiety - were considered autistic and ADHD. 

Nerenberg's not alone. Between a flawed system that focuses on younger, male populations, and the fact that girls are conditioned from a young age to blend in, women often don't learn about their neurological differences until they are adults, if at all. As a result, potentially millions live with undiagnosed neurodivergences, obscured by anxiety and depression. Meanwhile, we all miss out on the gifts their neurodivergent minds have to offer. 

Sharing real stories from women with high sensitivity, ADHD, autism, misophonia, dyslexia, SPD, and more, Nerenberg explores how these brain variances present differently in women and describes practical changes in how we communicate, how we design our surroundings, and how we can better support divergent minds. When we allow our wide variety of brain makeups to flourish, we create a better tomorrow for us all.

Review:

As an adult neurodivergent woman, with a majority of my family members being neurodivergent (including my children), and a teacher to both neurodivergent and neurotypical children, I've been trying to seek out the most recent books on neurodivergence to recommend to parents or folks just trying to understand a new concept that many aren't familiar with yet. 

A few months ago, I read Neurotribes by Steve Silberman, but didn't post a review because it was still during the school year, we were under yet another lockdown, and I was suffering from existential dread, so reviews weren't happening. Neurotribes is considered by most in the community to be the neurodiversity Bible, especially since it's still considered a recent publication (2016). Although I did enjoy the book and it is incredibly well-researched, one criticism I had of it while reading was that it seemed to approach neurodiversity from a mainly male perspective (granted the author acknowledges this and states that neurodivergent women and girls are under-diagnosed). Thankfully, this book nicely balances the former, discussing how neurodiversity presents in AFAB (assigned female at birth) individuals. 

In Divergent Mind, the author is wonderfully concise, essentially stating that those with diagnoses such as ADHD, autism, synesthesia, SPD and more have sensitivity as the root cause. That essentially even though every neurodivergent person presents differently, it all boils down to sensory sensitivity: everything is either "too much" or our bodies need more stimulation than we're getting (I still remember "too sensitive" thrown at me often as an insult during my childhood). 

In the first section of the book, the author makes the assumption that anyone reading this book will have some base knowledge of the various diagnoses she speaks of, spending little time on them in general and moving straight into the signs that women (and AFAB people in general) with these conditions might exhibit as opposed to males (especially in regards to ADHD and autism where the stereotypical symptoms everyone looks for are primarily present in males). 

For anyone who already knows they are neurodivergent and their respective diagnoses, the second part of the book might be of more interest. There, the author outlines various coping strategies and tips to help neurodivergent women improve their overall well-being, as well as specific strategies for the home and at work. 

Throughout the book, the author reinforces that neurodivergent minds have gifts that are essential to society's ability to thrive, and that ignoring the needs of the neurodivergent means to miss out on all we have to offer, which is a message that bears frequent repetition. 

Recommendation:

Are you a woman (or AFAB individual) who often feels different and out of place? Do you struggle inwardly despite your outward success? If so, you might be divergent; come to the dark side, we have cookies! And you should also read this book. 

Thoughts on the cover:

I like the use of shards to form the outline of the bust, it's a nice design choice. 

The Starless Sea - Erin Morgenstern

 

Title: The Starless Sea

Author: Erin Morgenstern

Publisher: Doubleday Canada, 2019 (Hardcover)/Anchor Canada, 2020 (Paperback)

Length: 494 pages (Hardcover), 570 pages (Paperback)

Genre: Adult; Fantasy

Started: July 31, 2021

Finished: August 3, 2021

Summary:

From the inside cover (Hardcover):

Far beneath the surface of the earth, upon the shores of the Starless Sea, there is a labyrinthine collection of tunnels and rooms filled with stories. The entryways that lead to this sanctuary are often hidden, sometimes on forest floors, sometimes in private homes, sometimes in plain sight. But those who seek will find. Their doors have been waiting for them.

Zachary Ezra Rawlins is searching for his door, though he does not know it. He follows a silent siren song, an inexplicable certainty that he is meant for another place. When he discovers a mysterious book in the stacks of his campus library, he begins to read and is entranced by tales of lovelorn prisoners, lost cities, and nameless acolytes. Suddenly, a turn of the page brings Zachary to a story from his own childhood, impossibly written in this book that is older than he is. 

A bee, a key, and a sword emblazoned on the book lead Zachary to two people who will change the course of his life: Mirabel, a fierce, pink-haired painter, and Dorian, a handsome, barefoot man with shifting alliances. These strangers guide Zachary through masquerade-party dances and whispered backroom stories to the headquarters of a secret society, where doorknobs hang from ribbons, and finally through a door conjured from paint to the place he has always yearned for. 

Amid twisting tunnels filled with books, gilded ballrooms, and wine-dark shores, Zachary falls into an intoxicating world soaked in romance and mystery. But a battle is raging over the fate of this place, and though there are those who would willingly sacrifice everything to protect it, there are just as many intent on its destruction. As Zachary, Mirabel, and Dorian venture deeper into the space and its histories and myths searching for answers and one another, a timeless love story unspools, casting a spell of pirates, painters, lovers, liars, and ships that sail upon a Starless Sea. 

Review:

"We are all stardust and stories" (373) so this story says, and oh, this book has already developed a tale that I will re-tell to my children and grandchildren to highlight the lengths I will go to for a book. I was reading people's opinions about my previous read, The Midnight Library, and one reader mentioned that they had hoped The Midnight Library was going to be like The Starless Sea and was disappointed that it wasn't. That intrigued me, and down a few rabbit holes later I was reading a sample of the novel on Amazon and didn't even reach the end before I knew I needed this book. Like yesterday.

Reserved a copy from the library, but then realized it wouldn't arrive for several days. That simply would not do. Cue quick trip to neighbouring bookstore after checking that it was indeed in stock. Frantic, immersive reading sessions ensues. Feelings of regret occur upon realizing the paperback I bought had a crappy glue job along the spine, which leads to the last twenty pages of the book falling out before I finish reading it, it's beyond saving. By this point I knew I was going to be buying a hardcover version, because I was already in love with it, but the only place that had a hardcover available was Book Depository (which is a great UK site I've used before, and they have free worldwide shipping). So close to $75 and several copies later (one which will have travelled across several countries by the time it gets to me), all for one book. 

That's how much I love this story.

However, I fully admit this book is only going to appeal to a very specific group of readers. 

The Starless Sea is laid out in six parts. The chapters within each part alternate between narrating a piece of the main story following Zachary, or presenting a fable or alternate narrative not from Zachary's perspective. Those interspersed fables come from the books Zachary reads within the novel, and are actually integral to the plot. For example, we the reader read about the contents of Sweet Sorrows, the book Zachary finds in his campus library, before we even meet Zachary himself. At first it can seem as if the main storyline is being interrupted by narratives that make no sense, until you realize that every detail in those interludes does eventually show up within the main storyline, everything is connected. So anyone who is not fond of the "story within a story" types of plots will probably not like this novel. That stuff's totally up my alley though, so I welcome it gladly. 

This novel is also quite meta, which some people will also dislike. If you're looking for a story that explains things definitively where nothing is left up to interpretation, this might not be the book for you. Even I had to go back to sections and reread parts in order to follow along with the parallel storylines that eventually converge. Though I was able to follow along pretty well, some people will find this confusing and get turned off of the story. 

Onto the good things though. This novel is a love letter to books and stories, an ode if you will (the writing even has a beautiful poetic quality to it). The fables interspersed with Zachary's story weren't really distracting for me because I loved them as much as Zachary's main story. The novel speaks of the nature of stories and the people who find refuge in them, and the descriptions of the library itself are like something from any of my wildest dreams. 

The characters are endearing, even the ones that are a bit flat at first because their full stories aren't revealed until close to the end. I have to give the author credit for making Zachary explicitly BIPOC and LGBTQ in the text, plus there's also some LGBTQ content mentioned in passing in some of the fables, which I appreciated too.

The writing is phenomenal, it sucks you in and immerses you completely in this world to the point where I almost caution people to read this over a few days where you don't have anything pressing to do, because you will be not be able to put it down. There's also a ton of quotable lines here, and this is a novel that will likely need multiple readings to fully catch everything. 

Some of my favourite excerpts include:

"There is no fixing. There is only moving forward in the brokenness" (378).

"This is not where our story ends, he writes. This is only where it changes" (476).

"Spiritual but not religious," Zachary clarifies. He doesn't say what he is thinking, which is that his church is held-breath story listening and late-night-concert ear-ringing rapture and perfect-boss fight button pressing. That his religion is buried in the silence of freshly fallen snow, in a carefully crafted cocktail, in between the pages of a book somewhere after the beginning but before the ending" (125-126).

And Dorian's "Once, very long ago, Time fell in love with Fate" fable that he whispers in Zachary's ear at the masquerade (pgs. 70-73). 

Recommendation:

If you're a reader at your core, love stories, and still believe in magic (to the point where you check wardrobes for portals to Narnia like Zachary), you need to read this book. I'm not even doing the story justice here, so just trust me and give it a go. 

Thoughts on the cover:

I like the hardcover version (pictured above) with the keys in a black and gold colour scheme. But this little beauty, a UK exclusive that is sadly no longer available, is so. freaking. pretty:

(Image found here).

The Midnight Library - Matt Haig

 

Title: The Midnight Library

Author: Matt Haig

Publisher: Harper Avenue, 2020 (Paperback)

Length: 288 pages

Genre: Adult; Science Fiction

Started: July 29, 2021

Finished: July 30, 2021

Summary:

From the inside cover:

Between life and death there is a library. 

When Nora Seed finds herself in the Midnight Library, she has a chance to make things right. Up until now, her life has been full of misery and regret. She feels she has let everyone down, including herself. But things are about to change. 

The books in the Midnight Library enable Nora to live as if she had done things differently. With the help of an old friend, she can undo every one of her regrets as she tries to work out her perfect life. But things aren't always what she imagined they'd be, and soon her choices place the library and herself in extreme danger. 

Before time runs out, she must answer the ultimate question: What is the best way to live?

Review:

Yet another recommendation courtesy of TikTok, never say social media is completely useless. This book is insanely popular, with two million sold worldwide, and after reading it I can say the hype is well deserved. However good it is though, this could be a very triggering read for some people due to the subject matter (suicide).

Nora is thirty-five and has regrets over her life choices. As a teenager, she had the potential to become an Olympic-level swimmer but didn't. The band she formed with her brother could've been huge, but she left it. She could've been a scientist or a professor, but never pursued it. She was supposed to marry her fiancee Dan, but called it off. She just lost her job at a music store, her elderly neighbour doesn't need her help anymore, and her cat just died. After attempting suicide, she wakes up in a library reminiscent from her school days, complete with a figure who resembles the librarian from her youth. 

Mrs. Elm tells Nora that she is between life and death, and has a chance to undo the regrets she has in her current life by exploring one of the infinite alternate universe versions of herself, represented by the never-ending books on the library's shelves. She can explore the lives where she did become an Olympic swimmer, married Dan, became an internationally known singer, and many more. When she finds the life she likes most, she can become part of it and her journey will end. As Nora moves through numerous versions of herself, she comes to a few realizations that literally brings the library crumbling down around her. Nora's final choice will seal the fate of not only the library, but herself too. 

I'll admit that based on the summary I was expecting something a different story from what I actually got. Granted, I still enjoyed it, but I envisioned a tale based in magical realism with a magical library as the setting, some sort of ode to literature and stories in general. And this book is not that. However...

This book is perfect for anyone who's ever questioned their choices and wondered, "what if I had done this instead?" I think all of us have done that, to a degree. I know I have, though on a much smaller scale and with less consuming regrets than Nora. The author himself is very open with his struggles with depression and mental health in general, you can tell he poured a lot of his personal experiences into Nora and her story, so I give him tons of kudos for that. 

Long ago, I came to the same realizations that Nora hits at a few different points in the story (don't want to go into too much detail to avoid spoilers), so I knew exactly how the book was going to end before hitting the hundred-page mark. This didn't make the story any less enjoyable in my opinion, I had a really fun time exploring the philosophy from Nora's point of view. Other enlightened people might not feel the same though, and might find the story boring if they don't connect with Nora as a character. 

Recommendation: 

If you enjoy the premise of a person exploring alternate-universe versions of themselves, then you'll enjoy The Midnight Library. Anyone triggered by suicide will want to skip this book, though. 

Thoughts on the cover:

Simple, yet effective. I really like how this version has a little tiny Voltaire (Nora's cat) in the lower corner. 

The House in the Cerulean Sea - TJ Klune

 

Title: The House in the Cerulean Sea

Author: TJ Klune

Publisher: Tor, 2020 (Paperback)

Length: 396 pages

Genre: Young Adult/Adult; Fantasy

Started: July 12, 2021

Finished: July 15, 2021

Summary:

From the back cover:

A magical island.

A dangerous task.

A burning secret. 

Linus Baker is a by-the-book caseworker in the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records for company. But his quiet life is about to change. 

Linus is summoned by Extremely Upper Management and given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to an orphanage on a distant island and determine whether six dangerous magical children are so dangerous, in fact, that they're likely to bring about the end of days. 

When Linus arrives at the strangest of islands he's greeted by a series of mysterious figures, the greatest mystery of which is Arthur Parnassus, the master of the orphanage. As Linus and Arthur grow closer, Linus discovers the master would do anything to keep the children safe, even if the world has to burn. Or worse, his secret comes to light. 

The House in the Cerulean Sea is an enchanting love story, masterfully told, about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place - and realizing that family is yours. 

Review:

I have TikTok to thank for a massive surge in my reading recommendations, this being one of them. So many people have posted about this particular book with the description that it "made your cold dead heart feel something for the first time in years" and "simply brought joy to your soul." I concur with both of those statements wholeheartedly. 

Linus Baker lives in a world (reminiscent of 1984 and X-men combined) where those born with powers are kept under control and monitored by the government. Many of these magical children are orphans and live in government-controlled institutions. Linus is his world's equivalent to a children's aid caseworker, visiting these orphanages and determining whether they should remain open or be shut down. Linus genuinely cares about his work and the children he's tasked to look in on, but his life has otherwise become a bit stagnant. 

He's ordered by the higher ups of his organization to observe the Marsyas Island Orphanage due to the unique abilities of the six children that live there. When they include the literal Antichrist, a wyvern, and a child that defies all explanation, he's not sure what to expect. This is made even more confusing when the master of the house, Arthur, doesn't always abide by the organization's rules. As Linus learns more about the house's inhabitants and bonds with them, he has to decide what should become of the place, and what to do when his one-month stay is over. 

Reading this book is like being wrapped in a cuddly blanket. There are some pretty dark and relatable themes of government control, prejudice, abuse, and hatred towards the "other", but those are tempered with humour and some of the most adorable moments that will just make your heart melt. 

The plot of the book is not overly complicated and it's pretty clear early on how the story will play out, but that's not the point of reading this book. The beauty is in the details. 

The characters are immediately relatable and endearing. Linus is just precious in how he cares about people in spite of his adherence to rules. Arthur is soft and fatherly, you just want to hug him. The kids are both adorable and hilarious, my favourite being Lucy, the devil himself, because his lines made me laugh so hard. All the other characters are amazing too, there honestly wasn't one that failed to capture my interest. 

The writing is simple, but nonetheless beautiful. The setting is described evocatively to the point where I, like Linus, was enchanted by the beauty of the island. There are so many beautiful quotes in this story that will make you laugh and cry, possibly at the same time.

Recommendation:

I can't recommend this book enough. It's become an instant favourite of mine, similar to everyone else who's read it (there's a reason it's so popular). If you want a book to enrapture you, go read this. 

Thoughts on the cover:

Simple, but good. The art style almost makes this seem like a children's book, but I find it charming.  

Breaker: Tales of the Outlaw Mages - Amy Campbell

Title: Breaker: Tales of the Outlaw Mages (Book One)

Author: Amy Campbell
Publisher: Independently published, 2021 (Paperback, ebook)
Length: 433 pages 

Genre: Adult Fantasy

Started: June 30, 2021

Finished: July 5, 2021

Summary:

From the back cover:

Walking Disaster. Ruiner. Spook. Sorcerer. The reason we can't have    nice things. 

The citizens in the of Bristle have called Blaise every name in the  book. Born a Breaker, his unbridled magic wreaks havoc with a touch. As his peers land apprenticeships, Blaise faces the reality that no one wants a mage who destroys everything around him. When enemy soldiers storm the town hunting for spellcasters, he has no choice but to escape and rush headlong into the unknown. 

A chance encounter with a pegasus sets Blaise on the path to a new life. Despite the machinations of a surly gunslinger, he finds a place to belong in the hardscrabble world of the outlaw mages. 

But even an outlaw mage can't outrun his past, and Blaise's returns with a vengeance, threatening his chosen family. Can Blaise find the grit to harness his volatile magic into a saving grace, or will his most dangerous challenge be his last? 

Review:

Now that the school year is done and I can finally breathe, it's time to read for pleasure once again and thanks to TikTok I have plenty of recommendations to rebuild my TBR pile. This one was the first and it was a great way to kickstart my summer reading. 

In Iphyria, those with magical abilities are rounded up and controlled by the Salt-Iron Confederation, and there's very few places where mages can live without being forced to use their powers against their will. Blaise lives with his family in Desina, one of those few few hold-outs. Although he hasn't had to worry about the Confederation, Blaise still struggles because his magic isn't supposed to exist. Blaise is a Breaker, an untrained one at that, destroying everything he touches. 

When the Confederation comes calling in Desina, Blaise is forced to flee. He finds himself, alone, in the Gutter, a harsh region populated by outlaw mages that the Confederation doesn't control. When he rescues a Pegasus named Emrys, he discovers a community in Itude that accepts and welcomes him. But when the Confederation tracks him down even there, can Blaise control his magic to protect his newfound family?

This author had me hooked with "Asexual magic cowboys." 'Cause if that's not a reason to read a book, I don't know what is. Add in the Pegasi characters and you really can't go wrong here. 

This book pulls you right in from the start, and I attribute that to the excellent characters. Blaise is a sweetheart and you just want to hug him and tell him everything's going to be okay. Jack is perfect and prickly, adding just enough conflict in the beginning to make his character development throughout the book nice and satisfying. And the Pegasi, oh, the Pegasi are the best part of this book, they totally steal the show. Emrys and Zepheus have a fair bit of range, their telepathic communications with their riders varying from sweet to sarcastic and a bit scathing, and their little business venture selling Blaise's baked goods to the other Pegasi had me laughing. I haven't even touched on the rest of the characters that populate Itude, but they're all endearing to say the least. 

The world building is nicely done throughout the book rather than all at the beginning, and the magic system is unique in that each person born with magic (not everyone is) having their own particular specialty, and I'm not talking basic elemental magic like your average fantasy book, there are actually some types described that are quite impressive in their originality. 

Recommendation:

When the book you're reading has subtle Community references and librarian humour, you know it's going to be good (go read this!). There's an intriguing universe and magic system, and the characters are just phenomenal. I've already put book 2, Effigest on my list to buy when it comes out. 

If anyone wants to check out the author and her works, you can do so here: Amy Campbell

If anyone wants to read the book, you can find links to various retailers here: Breaker

If anyone wants to check out the cover artist, you can do so here: EerilyFair Design

Thoughts on the cover:

It's so pretty. I never thought I'd say that about a cover with obvious western motifs (that usually aren't my thing) but it's so stinkin' pretty. 

Down Among the Sticks and Bones - Seanan McGuire

Title: Down Among the Sticks and Bones (Wayward Children #2)

Author: Seanan McGuire

Publisher: Tor (Tom Doherty Associates), 2017 (Hardcover)

Length: 187 pages

Genre: Young Adult/Adult; Fantasy

Started: February 14, 2021

Finished: February 15, 2021

Summary:

From the inside cover:

Twin sisters Jack and Jill were seventeen when they found their way home and were packed off to Eleanor West's Home for Wayward Children. 

This is the story of what happened first...

Jacqueline was her mother's perfect daughter - polite and quiet, always dressed as a princess. If her mother was sometimes a little strict, it's because crafting the perfect daughter takes discipline. 

Jillian was her father's perfect daughter - adventurous, thrill-seeking, and a bit of a tomboy. He really would have preferred a son, but you work with what you've got. 

They were five when they learned that grown-ups can't be trusted. 

They were twelve when they walked down the impossible staircase and discovered that the pretense of love can never be enough to prepare you for a life filled with magic in a land filled with mad scientists and death and choices.

Review:

After Every Heart a Doorway, the subsequent instalments in this series tackle the backstories of different characters from the first book. Twin sisters Jack and Jill were a favourite of mine from the first book (and apparently everyone else's too), so it makes sense that the next book focuses on them. 

I love these dark fairy tales, if for nothing else then to remind ourselves that children are living beings with preferences and needs that we can't necessarily shape and mould as we will. Pretty much all the damage done (at least so far in these first two books), comes from forgetting this. 

Chester and Serena are probably the last people in the world who should be parents, but all the men at his firm have perfect sons, and all the women on her committees have the most idyllic daughters. How hard could it be? When Serena gives birth to twin girls, it throws a bit of a monkey wrench into their plans of getting the perfect family all at once, but they work with what they have. Jillian is more daring and outgoing, while Jacqueline is more cautious and observant, so Jill becomes the tomboy stand-in for the son Chester always wanted, and Jacqueline becomes the quiet and proper daughter Serena always wanted.

When the girls are twelve and hating the rigid roles that have been thrust upon them, a doorway opens up at the bottom of a trunk in a closet, and what twelve-year-old with little freedom can resist the promise of adventure? They find themselves in the Moors with werewolves in the forests and a blood-red moon in the sky. Two men offer to care for them during their stay there...which will they choose? 

This instalment is just as engaging as the first book, even though we're only focusing on one set of characters. Jack and Jill's story is a good one; dark, but not to the point where it could turn readers off. If anything, I'm finding I want more of these stories and wish they were full-length novels rather than short novellas, but they're still excellent as they are.

Recommendation:

If you like dark fairy tales, give this series a try. I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of books 3 and 4 as we speak. 

Thoughts on the cover:

Again, similar to the first book, the landscape with the doorway as the central image is a good strategy to appeal to adult readers (this is not your usual YA cover) considering the cross-over potential. 

Every Heart a Doorway - Seanan McGuire

Title: Every Heart a Doorway (Wayward Children #1)

Author: Seanan McGuire

Publisher: Tor (Tom Doherty Associates), 2016 (Hardcover)

Length: 169 pages

Genre: Young Adult/Adult; Fantasy

Started: February 10, 2021

Finished: February 12, 2021

Summary:

From the inside cover:

Eleanor West's Home for Wayward Children

No solicitations

No visitors

No quests

Children have always disappeared under the right conditions - slipping through the shadows under a bed or at the back of a wardrobe, tumbling down rabbit holes and into old wells and emerging somewhere...else. 

But magical lands have little need for used-up miracle children. 

Nancy tumbled once, but now she's back. The things she's experienced...they change a person. The children under Miss West's care understand all too well. And each of them is seeking a way back to their own fantasy world. 

But Nancy's arrival marks a change at the home. There's a darkness just around each corner, and when tragedy strikes, it's up to Nancy and and her newfound schoolmates to get to the heart of things. No matter the cost. 

Review:

As we enter another year of pandemic restrictions and stress for anyone working in education right now, my pleasure reading choices have reverted to favourite genres that are personally comforting. And what better way to take someone out of their own head than a good portal fantasy. I always liked these types of books as a kid: Narnia, Wonderland (though my least favourite out of the bunch), Oz, Hogwarts, you name it I ate it up. As kids though, we never gave any thought to what happened to these characters when they went back, which this series explores nicely. 

When seventeen-year-old Nancy comes back through her door from the Underworld silent and devoid of colour, her desperate parents send her to Miss West's school in the hope of getting their happy little girl back. But like the other kids at the school, Nancy wants to find her door again so she can return to her real home. That is, if she can survive the rash of killings haunting the school since her arrival. 

This novella is a nice, quick read; but thanks to good, concise writing it isn't short on plot or development. The story introduces not just Nancy and her door, but several students and their fantasy worlds, all of them  engaging.

The author makes some clever observations that she works into the narrative, the following being my favourite, when Nancy asks why there are more girls than boys at the school:

"Because 'boys will be boys' is a self-fulfilling prophecy...They're too loud, on the whole, to be easily misplaced or overlooked; when they disappear from the home, parents send search parties to dredge them out of swamps and drag them away from frog ponds. It's not innate. It's learned. But it protects them from the doors, keeps them safe at home. Call it irony, if you like, but we spend so much time waiting for our boys to stray that they never have the opportunity. We notice the silence of men. We depend upon the silence of women." (pg. 59)

And this one is from Miss West lecturing the children about supporting one another rather than treating each other as suspects, that could honestly be printed on the walls of classrooms everywhere:

"This world is unforgiving and cruel to those it judges as even the slightest bit outside the norm. If anyone should be kind, understanding, accepting, loving to their fellow outcasts, it's you. All of you. You are the guardians of the secrets of the universe, beloved of worlds that most will never dream of, much less see...can't you see where you owe it to yourselves to be kind? To care for one another? No one outside this room will ever understand what you've been through the way the people around you right now understand. This is not your home. I know that better than most. But this is your way station and your sanctuary, and you will treat those around you with respect." (pg. 100)

Recommendation:

If you're in the mood for a short but very satisfying fantasy read, give this a go and then get the rest of the books in the series: Down Among the Sticks and Bones, Beneath the Sugar Sky, In an Absent Dream, Juice Like Wounds, Come Tumbling Down, and Across the Green Grass Fields.

Thoughts on the cover:

The cover with a landscape and the door as the central focus is nicely suited to the content and targeted audience. This type of cover is nicely consistent with the other books in the series, so they look great on a shelf.