Category Archives: Fantasy

Review: A Treachery of Swans by A. B. Poranek

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A Treachery of Swans by A. B. Poranek

A Treachery of Swans
A. B. Poranek
Margaret K. McElderry
Published June 24, 2025

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About A Treachery of Swans

An enthralling sapphic retelling of Swan Lake, for fans of Allison Saft and V.E Schwab.

Magic has long been outlawed in Auréal. Odile has always known she’d be the one to restore it.

Raised by a sorcerer, Odile has spent years preparing for the heist of a lifetime. It’s perfectly simple. Impersonate a princess, infiltrate the palace, steal the king’s enchanted crown and restore magic to the kingdom.

But when the King is unexpectedly murdered, she’s forced to recruit the help of Marie d’Odette, the real princess, and the two begin to unravel a web of lies and deceit that leaves Odile uncertain of who to trust.

Soon though Odile must decide – her mission or the girl she’s falling for?

The fate of the Kingdom depends on her making the right choice. . .

My Review

I loved Poranek’s debut novel, Where the Dark Stands Still. Switching from that kind of story to this one was almost like reading Gilded Wolves after reading The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi. It’s the same author, and technically the same genre, but the flavor of the stories is very different.

As a former dancer, I’m always interested in reimaginings of or stories inspired by the Swan Lake ballet. This one keeps a lot of the original story’s beats but changes many of the relationships between the characters and centers the story around the relationship between Odile and Odette. The story is told from Odile’s perspective, and rather than being a prop that the sorcerer uses to trick the prince, Odile is an active character who drives the story forward herself.

I liked both Odile and Marie d’Odette’s characters, and watching the relationship develop between the two was fabulous. It was easy to feel the magnetism between them, but it didn’t feel insta-lovey or forced.

The narrative revisits this idea of agency and speaking up for oneself in Odile and Marie d’Odette but also in the prince. I liked that common theme and how the author used that challenge to shape the growth of the characters over the course of the story.

If you enjoyed Gilded by Marissa Meyer and her treatment of the story of Rumpelstiltzkin, grab a copy of A Treachery of Swans by A. B. Poranek.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing. Reference to making out and falling asleep together.

Spiritual Content
Three goddesses created and ruled the world until a sorcerer overthrew them. Some characters (with golden blood) have the ability to perform magic.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. References to and some descriptions of a beast tearing up and devouring people. Some instances of toxic/manipulative/abusive behavior of a parent toward a child.

Drug Content
Characters drink alcohol socially. Reference to other tonics and concoctions.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: The Wild Robot Escapes by Peter Brown

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, Sci-Fi, , , , , , , ,

The Wild Robot Escapes (The Wild Robot #2)
Peter Brown
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published March 13, 2018

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About The Wild Robot Escapes

The sequel to the bestselling The Wild Robot, by award-winning author Peter Brown

Shipwrecked on a remote, wild island, Robot Roz learned from the unwelcoming animal inhabitants and adapted to her surroundings–but can she survive the challenges of the civilized world and find her way home to Brightbill and the island?

From bestselling and award-winning author and illustrator Peter Brown comes a heartwarming and action-packed sequel to his New York Times bestselling The Wild Robot, about what happens when nature and technology collide.

My Review

The Wild Robot Escapes picks up soon after the first book ends, with Roz being transported to a factory and repaired. Soon, a farmer purchases her, and she begins a new life on his farm. She carefully keeps her true self and her ability to speak to animals a secret because she fears being destroyed if people learn she’s a wild robot.

On the farm, the cows are delighted that Roz can speak with them. She fixes a lot of equipment and oversees the farm while Mr. Shareef, the man who bought her, mostly stays in his house. Roz learns that his family has had the farm for generations. An accident led to his wife’s death and his permanent injury. She begins playing games with the two children. She tells them stories they do not realize are true: stories about her life on the island before she came to the farm.

At the same time, she learns that her son Brightbill the goose is looking for her. Other geese visit the farm, and she tells them who she is so they can perhaps get a message to him.

I’ve been reading this series to my seven-year-old, and she’s completely captivated by the story. She’s invested in the animal characters, especially in Roz and Brightbill’s relationship.

Conclusion

I thought the story started off a bit slowly, but I ended up appreciating Roz’s time on the farm and the things she learned there. By the time Roz begins her escape, the story’s pace picks up, and things move quickly. I liked having the chance to see more of the world Brown created and what he imagined the human experience would be like for people with access to robots like Roz.

We’ll definitely be continuing the series. I think anyone who enjoys animal stories will like this one. The chapters are short, and the book contains a lot of illustrations, breaking up the text. It’s a great book for kids transitioning out of chapter books into middle grade fiction. It’s been a really fun read-aloud for our family, too.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
References to predator animals eating prey animals, such as wolves trying to kill a cow so they can eat her. Roz briefly wonders if humans are bad for eating chickens. Ultimately, she decides they are just following their instincts, and it’s neither good nor bad.

Some situations of peril. Reco robots chase Roz, and she worries about being deactivated if she’s captured because she’s not a “normal” robot.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. All opinions are my own.

Review: We Can Never Leave by H. E. Edgmon

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We Can Never Leave
H. E. Edgmon
Wednesday Books
Published June 10, 2025

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About We Can Never Leave

Sweet Tooth meets The Raven Boys in this queer young adult contemporary fantasy about what it means to belong from H.E. Edgmon.

You can never go home…

Every day, all across the world, inhuman creatures are waking up with no memory of who they are or where they came from–and the Caravan exists to help them. The traveling community is made up of these very creatures and their families who’ve acclimated to this new existence by finding refuge in each other. That is, until the morning five teenage travelers wake to find their community has disappeared around them overnight.

Those left: a half-human who only just ran back to the Caravan with their tail between their legs, two brothers–one who can’t seem to stay out of trouble and the other who’s never been brave enough to get in it, a venomous girl with blood on her hands and a heart of gold, and the Caravan’s newest addition, a disquieting shadow in the shape of a boy. They’ll have to work together to figure out what happened the night of the disappearance, but each one of the forsaken five is white-knuckling their own secrets. And with each truth forced to light, it becomes clear this isn’t really about what happened to their people–it’s about what happened to them.

My Review

“Haunting” is a good word to describe this book. This is the story of five people who are members of a traveling cult. The timeline is broken into three different sections: before, what happens just as the story begins, and what’s happening in the present.

The cult collects people, usually children, who have magical ability and/or unique physical traits. At first, I wondered if the layers of magic and the splintered timeline would keep the experience of growing up in a cult more distant. In some ways, especially early in the story as we’re getting oriented to what’s going on, it does. In other ways, it purposely keeps us in a fog (not unlike the cult members themselves), making the moment we emerge from that fog pack a powerful punch.

The only other young adult novel I’ve read about cult experience that I can think of at the moment is The Project by Courtney Summers. They’re very different stories, but I think both emphasize that dizzying feeling that must come with constant gaslighting and deep information control. What’s true? What’s real? Why is this really happening?

In addition to the three separate timelines, the story also alternates perspective. We get chapters from the points of view of all five main characters. It’s up to us to piece together what each one knows and figure out what’s going on and who poses the greatest threat.

Conclusion

I want to say I enjoyed the book, but I’m not sure enjoyed is the right word? Like, I couldn’t stop thinking about it anytime I stopped reading. But it’s kind of meant to be disturbing. Not in a give-you-nightmares way, but in a let’s-think-about-the-harm/trauma-cults-cause kind of way.

People who enjoy dark realistic fantasy and books that give you an idea to pick apart will find lots to think about here.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used sometimes.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing.

Spiritual Content
The characters belong to a traveling group whose members have some magical ability (one woman can float) and/or strange physical traits, such as snakes for hair or antlers.

Violent Content
References to cannibalism. Some scenes show snapshots or very brief, fractured memories of participating in a ritual killing. In a couple instances, children are fed meat that we understand comes from a member of the group.

Drug Content
One character drinks alcohol to numb feelings stemming from trauma.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: Embrace the Serpent by Sunya Mara

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Embrace the Serpent
Sunya Mara
HarperCollins
Published June 24, 2025

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About Embrace the Serpent

In this sweeping romantic fantasy, a dangerous deal binds a young jeweler’s apprentice to the mysterious Serpent King in a marriage of convenience, thrusting her into a deadly game between the cunning, fearsome ruler and his rebellious huntsman. Perfect for fans of The Wrath & the Dawn and Once Upon a Broken Heart!

The Serpent King has come to find his bride, and with his arrival festivities sweep through the city. Inside and outside the Rose Palace await women from across the six kingdoms determined to become his new bride-to-be—all except for eighteen-year-old Saphira.

After escaping life as a palace ward under the cruel djinn Lady Incarnadine, Saphira now works as the apprentice to the unscrupulous jewelsmith Galen. Out of fear of being discovered, she hides her rare gift for harnessing the magic in gemstones and lets Galen take credit for her craft.

But when Galen makes a boast that ruffles the court, Lady Incarnadine punishes him with an impossible task—one that threatens to drag Saphira back into Incarnadine’s grasp. Desperate to avoid this fate, Saphira strikes a dangerous deal with Rane, the enigmatic huntsman sent by the Serpent King to find the best jewelsmith in the empire.

Rane promises that if Saphira crafts a mysterious piece for his master, the Serpent King will grant her a new identity and freedom. But when their plans go awry and the only way out is to marry the Serpent King, Saphira becomes entangled in the dangerous affairs of kingdoms and empires—caught between the cunning, handsome Rane and her cold, serpentine husband.

My Review

I remember really liking Sunya Mara’s debut novel, so I’ve been really excited about this one. I think I liked it even better than what I read before. There were moments that I thought this was going to be a duology, especially as we learned some critical information about the Serpent King’s empire. The last several chapters of the book moved really fast. If that had been expanded and some additional subplots and conflicts happened, it probably could have been a duology.

I think I actually prefer the standalone, though. I loved getting to read the entire story in one sitting. Finding out what happens with Saphira and how she navigates her unplanned/fake marriage was a lot of fun. A saw one thing coming, but then when it happened, I was excited and relieved. I didn’t mind that I’d spotted it before it was revealed.

Saphira’s experience as a jeweler and her obvious past trauma make her a character it was easy to care about immediately. She’s got this whole carefully balanced life that any number of things could upset. I knew we were in for a wild adventure.

She also has a sweet relationship with a golem that she’s created. I loved the way that that developed over the course of the story, too. He’s like a protector and friend, and they look out for each other.

Embrace the Serpent is one of my favorite young adult fantasies of this summer so far. I’m so glad I had a chance to read it, and I’m eagerly anticipating what Sunya Mara will write next.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 15 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing. In one scene the characters undress and the scene ends.

Spiritual Content
Some characters are magical beings and can transform. Other characters have some magical ability or influence. Saphira can create jewelry with magical ability through the power in different precious stones.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. A few battle scenes with injuries. References to execution or imprisonment.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: Greenwild: The Forest in the Sky by Pari Thomson

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Greenwild: The Forest in the Sky (Greenwild #3)
Pari Thomson
Farrar, Straus, & Giroux
Published June 3, 2025

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About Greenwild: The Forest in the Sky

The Secret Garden meets A Wrinkle in Time in the spellbinding final book of the New York Times-bestselling Greenwild series.

Daisy and her friends may have defeated the Grim Reapers in Iffenwild, but it’s clear that the battle for the Greenwild is only just beginning…

With the support of the Iffenwilders and their mighty water magic, Daisy and her friends are finally setting off to rescue the Botanists held prisoner in the heart of the Amazon rainforest – including Daisy’s ma and the Prof’s grandfather.

But when an unexpected attack sends the rescue mission spinning off course, Daisy, Indigo, and the Prof find themselves in the Amazon alone – where they must draw on every ounce of their courage, magic, and ingenuity to survive. This is a battle that can’t be won single-handedly, and Daisy will need the support of her new friend Max, a strange Grayside girl called Fen, and the massed might of the Amazerians, guardians of the biggest and most magical pocket in the Greenwild – if she is to take on the Reapers once and for all.

Readers will not want to miss this thrilling conclusion to the Greenwild series.

My Review

I’ve been eagerly following this series from the very beginning. Reading the last book in a series is always bittersweet, because it means the characters’ journeys end, but it also means we know how the story plays out. I saved reading this one for the perfect moment in my recovery, when I’d be able to read far past bedtime and get completely lost in the pages.

The story follows two groups of characters. First, there’s Daisy, Indigo, and Prof, who head off to the Amazon to find the Greenwild pocket of Amazeria. Then, there’s Max and Acorn, who try to follow them and end up on a separate adventure. The chapters alternate between Daisy and Max’s points of view. I think the chapters from Max’s perspective had a sweet tenderness to them as he discovered things about his family members that he never knew and had the space to grow into his magic and his identity.

I also liked the way that magic is used through the course of the book. Daisy can talk to plants and do some plant magic. Indigo can talk to animals. Max has water magic. These abilities come in handy in sometimes unexpected ways. I liked that all of them had value and limits, so no one ability was outsized.

The ending of the book unfolds so quickly. (Or maybe I just read it quickly because I was so eager??) There were a couple of moments in which the identity of some characters is revealed, and I found myself wishing we’d lingered in that realization a little bit more. It was totally okay as is. I don’t think any of those reveals were shortchanged. Possibly, I just wanted longer to revel in the ending of the book and to spend a little more time in this rich story world.

I think readers who enjoy rich, magical fantasy stories will really enjoy getting lost in this botanical series. The story explores family relationships and found family as well as finding courage and bravery within oneself. It’s got strong positive messages and a powerful, hopeful message.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Vague references to a possible crush between characters.

Spiritual Content
Some characters can do magic. There’s green magic, or magic involving plants and blue magic, or magic involving water.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Brief battles between Reapers and Botanists. In one scene, Caimans chase the characters. One bites a character (happens off-scene). Reference to a quarrel that ends in murder (happens off-scene). Someone offers themselves to an enemy in place of another character. In one scene, a falling tree lands on a cat.

Drug Content
Plants cause dreams, remedy illnesses, and cause confusion, depending on the type and use.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: Lady’s Knight by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

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Lady’s Knight
Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
Storytide
Published June 3, 2025

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About Lady’s Knight

An undeniably fierce, unforgettably funny, unapologetically queer feminist romp through the England of medieval legend. Bestselling and acclaimed authors Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner bring readers along on an epic quest for valor, freedom, and, above all, love. A Knight’s Tale meets the Lady Jane series, with a dash of The Great!

Gwen is sick of hiding—hiding the fact that she’s taken over her father’s blacksmithing duties, hiding her attraction to girls, hiding her yearning for glory as a knight.

Meanwhile, Lady Isobelle of Avington, queen bee of the castle, has never once considered hiding who she is—until now. She’s been chosen as the grand prize in the Tournament of Dragonslayers, to be given to whichever knight can claim her hand. And for the first time in her life, she can’t talk her way out of trouble.

When Isobelle discovers Gwen’s knightly ambitions, they hatch a scheme together—Gwen will joust in the tournament, disguised as Sir Gawain. Winning means freedom for Isobelle, and glory for Gwen. Losing means… well, let’s not go there.

One thing’s for sure: falling in love was never the plan.

But the best laid plans…are often trampled all over by dragons.

My Review

It’s been a minute since I’ve read anything by this duo, but I remember that I enjoyed the last book by Kaufman and Spooner that I read. This novel is a lot of fun, as one familiar with the authors would expect. The characters have serious moments, but they’re often punctuated by asides that highlight the irony of a situation or point out a paradox in the culture of the time.

The characters speak to one another in fairly modern language, which might be challenging for die-hard historical fiction fans, but will make the story more accessible for readers who generally read contemporary fiction.

The romance between Gwen and Isobelle is so sweet. They have very different personalities, and that made watching them fall in love such a joy. Isobelle is the kind of character that might be easy to write off as too silly or shallow at first, but as you get to know her, you see how she uses humor or frivolity to mask her true self. It’s not safe for her to be any other way.

The pragmatic and serious Gwen challenges Isobelle to speak up more, and in return, Isobelle challenges Gwen to believe in herself and take risks. They make a fabulous couple. I loved some of the side characters, especially Olivia, Isobelle’s maid (with a much more exciting history) and Madame DuPont, the swordswoman who helps Gwen prepare for the tournament.

The author acknowledgements say this is the first book in a series, and I say, bring it! I’m absolutely here for more adventures in this story world.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing.

Spiritual Content
Some characters are hedge witches, who use healing herbs to help sick or wounded people and uplift women and marginalized people.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Some scenes show knights competing at jousting, which can be deadly. Some participants injure their opponents.

Drug Content
Characters drink alcohol and play a drinking game (a medieval version of Never Have I Ever).

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.