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Review: I Am the Dark That Answers When You Call by Jamison Shea

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I Am the Dark That Answers When You Call by Jamison Shea

I Am the Dark That Answers When You Call (I Feed Her to the Beast #2)
Jamison Shea
Henry Holt & Co.
Published November 12, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About I Am the Dark That Answers When You Call

Monsters and mortals, rejoice! Acheron is back . . .

Though Laure has tried to close the lid on her ballet shoes and the feelings she once held for dance since the Palais Garnier incident two months ago, Laure is spinning out. Between partying, drinking, and avoiding anything and, well, everyone, she has no time to be anything but a monster.

But when Laure stumbles across a mysterious dead body during one of her nights out, she’s forced to notice the cracks stretching beyond herself. Below the streets of Paris, Elysium is dying, and Acheron and Lethe’s influence is spilling into the streets like a blight. Laure isn’t the only of Elysium’s beasts to rise from the ruins of Palais Garnier, and someone is mobilizing an army of monsters with plans greater than Laure, Andor, and Keturah could have ever guessed.

While Laure is warring between her wants and Acheron’s ever-demanding appetite, she and her circle of monsters are left to reckon with a not-so-simple how do you save yourself from oblivion?

Jamison Shea’s sharp and unflinching voice will bring readers to terrifying new heights in this vicious sequel to the “relentlessly gory and almost euphoric in its embrace of the horrific” (NPR) I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me.

My Review

I forgot how engaging Shea’s writing is until I dove back into this duology. In 2023, I reviewed I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me. I remember being so impressed with the way that the author incorporated details about Laure’s ballet experience. There were things that you really wouldn’t know unless you danced or spent a lot of time with ballet dancers.

Though it’s not the focus of this story, Laure’s dancing still has a deep impact on it. I cannot express how strongly I love that Shea uses Laure’s struggle as a classically trained ballet dancer trying to learn to dance in other styles as a metaphor for how disconnected she feels from her body and how alien she feels as the vessel of a god among humans. Would that parallel resonate as strongly for someone without dance experience? I don’t know, but I am so into it. I felt like I instantly understood her struggle on a physical and emotional level.

This is a story about a young woman finding her place, defining herself, and weighing the personal costs of following norms versus creating her role from scratch. Over and over Laure faces frustration and shame when she doesn’t fit the roles she’s assigned, from ballerina to immortal vessel. At first, she blames herself and vacillates between trying harder and breaking down. She begins to break away from those patterns and look for ways to embrace who she is. She starts to see those attributes as strengths rather than hindrances. I loved watching that transformation.

As with Shea’s first book, I found it so easy to get lost in the writing and the strangeness of the story. It’s horror, so it does have some gore, body horror, and other scary elements. This duology might be my favorite representation of ballet in young adult fiction that I’ve read so far.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 15 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used fairly infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing.

Spiritual Content
Laure has become a vessel for a god named Acheron. Others made bargains with Acheron or another god in exchange for power.

Violent Content
Body horror and depictions of gore. Descriptions of dead animals (deaths not shown). References to and brief descriptions of murder, cannibalism, and being buried alive.

Drug Content
Early in the story, Laure drinks heavily at nightclubs as part of a destructive pattern. She recognizes the destructiveness of her behavior and eventually decides to make healthier choices.

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: Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell

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

Impossible Creatures (Impossible Creatures #1)
Katherine Rundell
Knopf Books for Young Readers
Published September 10, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Impossible Creatures

The day Christopher saved a drowning baby griffin from a hidden lake would change his life forever. It’s the day he learned about the Archipelago, a cluster of unmapped islands where magical creatures of every kind have thrived for thousands of years—until now. And it’s the day he met Mal, a girl on the run who desperately needs his help.

Mal and Christopher embark on a wild adventure, racing from island to island, searching for someone who can explain why the magic is fading and why magical creatures are suddenly dying. They consult sphinxes, battle kraken, and negotiate with dragons. But the closer they get to the dark truth of what’s happening, the clearer it becomes: no one else can fix this. If the Archipelago is to be saved, Mal and Christopher will have to do it themselves.

My Review

Every time I see this book, I pick it up, intent on dropping everything and reading it just then. I finally ended up borrowing a copy from the library and squeezing it into my reading schedule, and I’m so glad I did.

This book didn’t feel long at all. I loved the descriptions of magical creatures (be aware that an important one dies in the book), and the different roles they play in the story. I was fascinated by the opening, in which we meet Christopher, a boy who has a special gift with animals. Everywhere he goes, animals seem to crowd around him. I liked how that ties into his role in the story.

Christopher and Mal end up with a small crew of people helping them, and I liked each one of them. It was interesting that not all of the people helping them are doing so for benevolent reasons. In some ways that made the story feel more realistic.

There are some sad moments in the story that I’m still not okay about. Haha. They made sense in the larger context of the story, but I’m still upset that they happened.

The second book in the series came out in September 2025, but I’m not sure how long it’ll take me to get to it. I want to read it, but I’m not sure I’m ready to move on to a new story in that universe, if that makes sense.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Two instances of mild profanity.

Romance/Sexual Content
References to romantic love.

Spiritual Content
Magical creatures exist in a fantastical land, but the magic is fading and the are creatures disappearing or dying. The back of the book contains an illustrated glossary of magical creatures.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. A man chases a child, intent on killing her. He kills someone else who gets in his way. Brief battle violence in a fight between people and dangerous magical creatures. Death of an animal. Death of a child.

Drug Content
A character must drink a dangerous potion that at first causes them to be sick and unable to walk.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I borrowed a copy of this book from my local library. All opinions are my own.

Review: The Grace of Wild Things by Heather Fawcett

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The Grace of Wild Things
Heather Fawcett
Storytide
Published February 12, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Grace of Wild Things

An inventive and fantastical reimagining of Anne of Green Gables—with magic and witches!—that explores found family, loss, and the power of a girl’s imagination, from the acclaimed author of The Language of Ghosts and The School Between Winter and Fairyland. Perfect for readers who loved The Girl Who Drank the Moon and Serafina and the Black Cloak.

“A magical, witchy, and thoroughly successful homage to a classic.” —Kirkus Reviews(starred review)

Grace has never been good at anything except magic—not that anyone believes her.

While other children are adopted from the orphanage, nobody wants Grace. So she decides to make a home for herself by running away and offering herself as an apprentice to the witch in the nearby woods. After all, who better to teach Grace to use her magic? Surely the witch can’t be that bad.

But the witch is that bad—she steals souls for spells and gobbles up hearts. So Grace offers a deal: If she can learn all 100½ spells in the witch’s grimoire, the witch will make Grace her apprentice. But if Grace fails, the witch can take her magic. The witch agrees, and soon an unexpected bond develops between them.

But the spells are much harder than Grace expected, and when a monster from the witch’s past threatens the home Grace has built, she may have to sacrifice more than her magic to save it.

My Review

I didn’t read the back cover copy before I read this book. I remembered that a friend had read and loved it, so I’d had it on my reading list. The only thing I remembered about the book was that it was a reimagining of Anne of Green Gables. So, at first as I read, I assumed the witch-y things were Grace’s imagination. Ha! Then she woke up in the oven, and I was like, wait a minute.

At first, I wasn’t sure I liked the idea of a Marilla character as an evil witch. The story really won me over, though. I liked the way that her grumpiness and solitary nature gave way to fondness for Grace over time. And Patrick, the rain cloud! I thought that was a very clever way to introduce a character like Matthew from the original story.

The character I was immediately sure about was Grace. She was so thoroughly Anne, from her imaginative nature to her daydreaming and tendency to goof things up. I loved her friendship with Serena, too. That reminded me a lot of Anne and Diana.

Grace’s commitment to work through the spells in the grimoire gave the story more structure than I imagined. I loved those adventures and ways in which the spells worked out differently than Grace intended.

The Grace of Wild Things is the only book by Heather Fawcett that I’ve read so far, but I have already added others to my reading list. I’m excited to check out more of her books, and I wholeheartedly recommend this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Vague reference to an adult who became romantically involved with a man until she learned he was married.

Spiritual Content
Some characters are witches. One character is a faery.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Grace wakes in an oven of a witch who plans to cook and eat her. Other bones indicate that she’s done this before. A tree appears to try to devour a boy. Nightmares appear in a forest.

Drug Content
One spell makes a character act silly, and someone assumes the character is drunk.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I borrowed a copy of this book from the library. All opinions are my own.

Review: The Bard and the Book by Ann Bausum and Marta Sevilla

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The Bard and the Book: How the First Folio Saved the Plays of William Shakespeare from Oblivion
Ann Bausum
Illustrated by Marta Sevilla
Peachtree
Published April 2, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Bard and the Book: How the First Folio Saved the Plays of William Shakespeare from Oblivion

The unlikely true story of why we know the name William Shakespeare today, and the four-hundred-year-old book that made it possible.

Four hundred years ago, no one bothered to write down the exact words of stage plays. Characters’ lines were scribbled on small rolls of paper (as in, an actor’s role ) and passed around, but no master script was saved for the future. The main reason we’ve heard of Romeo, Juliet, Hamlet, and Shakespeare himself is that a group of people made the excellent choice to preserve the plays after the Bard died. If they hadn’t created the book known as the First Folio, Shakespeare and his works would surely have been lost to history.

Part literary scavenger hunt (the search for every existing First Folio continues today), part book trivia treasure trove, and part love letter to Shakespeare, this behind-the-scenes, sharply funny true story is an ideal introduction to the Bard and his famous plays.

My Review

Happy National Shakespeare Day! Today is the day we traditionally celebrate Shakespeare’s birth and death. I figured this was a perfect day to review a book about Shakespeare.

I read an article years ago that said that home libraries often have fewer nonficton titles than they should, and since then, I’ve been on the lookout for great nonfiction for kids. This book caught my eye immediately. I love the idea of pairing this with a first look at Shakespeare’s work.

The book covers the way that theaters operated during the time Shakespeare’s plays were written. I’d never considered that there wouldn’t be bound copies of an entire play from the very beginning. But actually, plays weren’t printed that way at the time.

The author also shares some facts about Shakespeare’s life and what happened to copies of his work from those first printings to now. I loved reading the author’s note and backmatter info about her research experience and her family’s connection to writing nonfiction.

The only other book by Ann Bausum that I’ve read at present is White Lies, which is aimed at an older audience. This book features playful illustrations and cheery text, making it perfect for middle grade or early young adult readers.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Reference to romance in Shakespeare’s plays.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Reference to illness and death.

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 copy of this book for Christmas. All opinions are my own.

Review: The Poisoned King by Katherine Rundell

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The Poisoned King (Impossible Creatures #2)
Katherine Rundell
Knopf Books for Young Readers
Published September 11, 2025

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Poisoned King

Return to the magic of the Archipelago in the dazzling sequel to the runaway, #1 New York Times bestseller Impossible Creatures, hailed as “an instant classic” (Katherine Applegate, Newbery Medal Winner for The One and Only Ivan)!

Christopher Forrester woke to find a dragon chewing on his face—and his heart leapt for joy! He’d been dreaming of going back to the Archipelago, the secret cluster of islands where all the creatures of myth still live, and here was his summons.

But there is a poison spreading in the Archipelago. Rooting it out will involve a daring rescue mission on the back of a sphinx, a stealthy entrance to a dragon’s lair, and a death-defying plan to save a prisoner held in the heart of a castle. At the center of this storm is Anya: a small girl with a flock of birds at her side, a new-hatched chick in her pocket, and a ravenous hunger for justice.

Katherine Rundell’s second thrilling installment in the Impossible Creatures series involves castles, dragons, and revenge—the things of which great stories are made. The splendors within are brought to life with more than fifty illustrations, including a map and a bestiary of magical creatures.

My Review

The cameos from some of the minor characters from Impossible Creatures were one of my favorite parts of this book. I really enjoyed getting to see what happened to Irian and Nighthand, but I loved that the tiny dragon, Jacques, was back in this story, too.

I have to say that after the painful losses in the first book, I was braced for tragedy in this one. While I don’t want to spoil anything, I will say that this book wasn’t as devastating as the last one.

The hardcover edition has beautiful artwork throughout. The endpapers have a map of the Glimoria Archipelago surrounded by some of the different mythical creatures. Like the first book, this one has an illustrated glossary of creatures in the back.

The story moved forward at a smooth pace, keeping me engaged all the way through. I am really enjoying the series and definitely want to read the next book when it comes out.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
The narrator sees two adults kiss (from a distance).

Spiritual Content
Magical creatures exist in the story.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Someone poisons several others as part of a power grab. Some magical creatures intend to kill or eat the main characters. One character vows to get revenge on the person who framed her father for murder. The characters hear that someone falsely accused of murder is sentenced to be executed.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I borrowed a copy of this book from my local library. All opinions are my own.

Review: Three Keys by Kelly Yang

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Three Keys (Front Desk #2)
Kelly Yang
Scholastic Press
Published September 15, 2020

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Three Keys

The story of Mia and her family and friends at the Calivista Motel continues in this powerful, hilarious, and resonant sequel to the award-winning novel Front Desk.Mia Tang thinks she’s going to have the best year ever.She and her parents are the proud owners of the Calivista Motel, Mia gets to run the front desk with her best friend, Lupe, and she’s finally getting somewhere with her writing!

But as it turns out, sixth grade is no picnic…1. Mia’s new teacher doesn’t think her writing is all that great. And her entire class finds out she lives and works in a motel! 2. The motel is struggling, and Mia has to answer to the Calivista’s many, many worried investors. 3. A new immigration law is looming and if it passes, it will threaten everything — and everyone — in Mia’s life.

It’s a roller coaster of challenges, and Mia needs all of her determination to hang on tight. But if anyone can find the key to getting through turbulent times, it’s Mia Tang!

My Review

Authors like Kelly Yang, who write about real situations from recent history that some young readers face, deserve much appreciation. In her author’s note, Yang recalls her own childhood, during which many of the events mentioned in Three Keys take place. She reflects on the parallels between that time period back in the 1990s and the rise of xenophobia and hate in the United States in more recent days.

Through the pages of the novel, though, she carefully deconstructs these challenging ideas so that young readers can see, think about, and explore them in an age-appropriate way. Like Mia herself, many readers will find themselves in school classrooms with children whose families face increased discrimination and fear.

The story makes space for readers to think about what those experiences would feel like and how political ideas, and even recent political history, impact the people around them.

I’ve loved this series so far, and I’m so impressed with the author’s wisdom and careful handling of these sensitive topics. I’m excited to read more of the series.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 9 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Brief racist comments. References to an adult being arrested and detained.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I borrowed a copy of this book from the library. All opinions are my own.