Tag Archives: Fae

Review: My Imaginary Mary by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadow

Book Review and Content, Historical, Magical Realism, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , ,
My Imaginary Mary by Cynthia Hand, Jodi Meadows and Brodi Ashton

My Imaginary Mary (Mary #2)
Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows
HarperTeen
Published August 2, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About My Imaginary Mary

It’s aliiiiiiiive! The bestselling authors of My Lady Jane are back with the electric, poetic, and (almost) historical tale of the one and only Mary Shelley.

Mary may have inherited the brilliant mind of her late mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, but she lives a drab life above her father’s bookstore, waiting for an extraordinary idea that’ll inspire a work worthy of her parentage—and impress her rakishly handsome (and super-secret) beau, Percy Shelley.

Ada Lovelace knows a thing or two about superstar parents, what with her dad being Lord Byron, the most famous poet on Earth. But her passions lie far beyond the arts—in mechanical engineering, to be exact. Alas, no matter how precise Ada’s calculations, there’s always a man willing to claim her ingenious ideas as his own.

Pan, a.k.a. Practical Automaton Number One, is Ada’s greatest idea yet: a machine that will change the world, if only she can figure out how to make him truly autonomous . . . or how to make him work at all.

When fate connects our two masterminds, Mary and Ada learn that they are fae—magical people with the ability to make whatever they imagine become real. But when their dream team results in a living, breathing, thinking PAN, Mary and Ada find themselves hunted by a mad scientist who won’t stop until he finds out how they made a real boy out of spare parts.

With comic genius and a truly electrifying sense of adventure, Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows continue their campaign to turn history on its head in this YA fantasy that’s perfect for fans of The Princess Bride and A Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue.

My Review

I really enjoyed both MY LADY JANE and MY CONTRARY MARY, so I was excited about getting into this book. The idea of a story about Ada Lovelace and Mary Shelley also intrigued me, so this sounded like a sure win.

I did enjoy the book, but not as much as the other two that I read. The other books had me laughing out loud more and had a lot more straight up absurdity that really worked for me as a reader. Plus I loved the cameo appearances by characters from MY LADY JANE in MY CONTRARY MARY.

What I think did work really well in this book was the pairing of Ada Byron (Lovelace) and Mary Godwin (Shelley). The science and writing/magic combo fit together well, and I liked the friendship that they shared and how it changed both of their lives.

I also liked the way Pan, created by Ada and Mary, inspired Mary to write FRANKENSTEIN. I thought that was a clever way to layer both a historical fantasy with elements from Mary Shelley’s famous book.

All in all, I’m still really glad I read this one. If you like reimagined history or stories inspired by a classic, I think MY IMAGINARY MARY is a great book to add to your reading list.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Ada has difficulty walking since being ill and uses a cane.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. At one point one character asks questions about the difference between men and women and Mary tries to discreetly tell him that they have different body parts.

Spiritual Content
Some people are Fae and can create things from their imaginations. This magic has a cost– matter cannot be created nor destroyed– so Fae are trained to create carefully.

Violent Content
A man uses chloroform to incapacitate others and kidnap them. He ties several people up and threatens them with being struck by lightning.

Drug Content
Ada’s father drinks wine and reveals secrets he shouldn’t when he is drunk.

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

Review: Estranged by Ethan Aldridge

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Graphic Novel or Adaptation, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , ,

Estranged (Estranged #1)
Ethan Aldridge
HarperCollins
Published August 7, 2018

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About Estranged

Edmund and the Childe were swapped at birth. Now Edmund lives in secret as a changeling in the World Above, with fae powers that make him different from everyone else—even his unwitting parents and older sister, Alexis. The Childe lives among the fae in the World Below, where being human makes him an oddity at the royal palace, and where his only friend is a wax golem named Whick.

But when the cruel sorceress Hawthorne takes the throne, the Childe and Edmund realize that the fate of both worlds may be in their hands—even if they’re not sure which world they belong to.

My Review

This is one of those instances where I read the sequel before the original, and then had to go back and read the original because I loved the other book so much.

I loved revisiting all the characters from the second book. I think the pacing of this one was slightly slower than THE CHANGELING KING, probably because it’s introducing a lot of characters and story world elements for the first time. Even with that slight slow-down, I found myself turning page after page, loving the illustrations and eager to see what would happen next.

One of my favorite things about both these books is how expressive and immersive the panels are. I really feel the story world and can imagine myself in the story. The color palette is amazing– rich and very fitting to the kind of setting in the story. The characters’ faces have these super evocative expressions that really clue me into what they’re feeling even without added dialogue.

All in all, this graphic novel was a huge pleasure to read. I loved it, and I really want to see more from this author. I hope he has new work coming soon!

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 up.

Representation
One major character is gay, but that doesn’t come up in this book.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
A World Below exists under the human world, populated with magical creatures and monsters.

Violent Content
Battle scenes and situations of peril. No gory details.

Drug Content
None.

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

Review: Cursed by Thomas Wheeler

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,

Cursed
Thomas Wheeler
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Published October 1, 2019

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Goodreads

About Cursed

Soon to be a Netflix original series!

The Lady of the Lake is the true hero in this cinematic twist on the tale of King Arthur created by Thomas Wheeler and legendary artist, producer, and director Frank Miller (300, Batman: The Dark Night Returns, Sin City). Featuring 8 full color and 30 black-and-white pieces of original artwork by Frank Miller.

Whosoever wields the Sword of Power shall be the one true King.

But what if the Sword has chosen a Queen?

Nimue grew up an outcast. Her connection to dark magic made her something to be feared in her Druid village, and that made her desperate to leave…

That is, until her entire village is slaughtered by Red Paladins, and Nimue’s fate is forever altered. Charged by her dying mother to reunite an ancient sword with a legendary sorcerer, Nimue is now her people’s only hope. Her mission leaves little room for revenge, but the growing power within her can think of little else.

Nimue teams up with a charming mercenary named Arthur and refugee Fey Folk from across England. She wields a sword meant for the one true king, battling paladins and the armies of a corrupt king. She struggles to unite her people, avenge her family, and discover the truth about her destiny.

But perhaps the one thing that can change Destiny itself is found at the edge of a blade.

Write caption…

My Review

An Arthurian story with female lead? Yes, please. I love the description of this book. CURSED is really different than the original story of Arthur and Merlin. I like a lot of the ways the characters and story are reimagined, though.

Merlin is this flawed man who’s hundreds of years old, thanks in part to his magic. Arthur hasn’t really become the hero yet, but you see glimpses of his potential through the story. And then there are all of these really fascinating minor characters in the story, too. With some of them, as their names get revealed, it makes so much sense how they will fit into the story.

Nimue is another great character. I love her adventurous spirit and the way she begins to embrace her role as a leader to her people.

The only part of the book that I really struggled with was the amount of violence. It’s just really not my thing. I’m way too squeamish for a lot of battle gore and torture is way too over the line for me. So I skimmed a few places where the violence got to be too intense.

Other than that, I think it’s a super imaginative tale with lots to offer to fans of the Arthur story and fantasy fans alike.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 17 up.

Representation
Some characters are from tribes with magic powers or differences in their appearance (tusks, etc). Others are basically English characters.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between a boy and girl. In one scene, a couple bathe together in a hot spring.

Spiritual Content
Nimue belongs to a tribe with the ability to connect to spirits they call the hidden. She learns to use this ability in different ways. She becomes the keeper of a powerful sword rumored to grant ultimate rule to a king who claims it. Red paladins fight the Druid tribes seeking to destroy anyone with magic, believing they are an abomination to God and that destroying them is a purifying act.

Violent Content
So. Much. Violence. Lots of battle violence and gore. Some torture and references to torture. Child soldiers. It’s pretty brutal.

Drug Content
Some reference to drinking alcohol.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog. I received a free copy of CURSED in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Fallen Kingdom by Elizabeth May

Book Review and Content, Dystopian or Post-Apocalyptic, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

Fallen Kingdom (The Falconer #3)
Elizabeth May
Chronicle Books
Published on June 13, 2017

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

About Fallen Kingdom
The long-awaited final book in the Falconer trilogy is an imaginative tour-de-force that will thrill fans of the series. Aileana Kameron, resurrected by ancient fae magic, returns to the world she once knew with no memory of her past and with dangerous powers she struggles to control. Desperate to break the curse that pits two factions of the fae against each other in a struggle that will decide the fate of the human and fae worlds, her only hope is hidden in an ancient book guarded by the legendary Morrigan, a faery of immense power and cruelty. To save the world and the people she loves, Aileana must learn to harness her dark new powers even as they are slowly destroying her. Packed with immersive detail, action, romance, and fae lore, and publishing simultaneously in the UK, The Fallen Kingdom brings the Falconer’s story to an epic and unforgettable conclusion.

My Review
Have you had the experience with a book where you get so invested in a certain outcome that you really might give up the book if a certain thing happens (or doesn’t happen)? I felt that way about this book. I felt like I’d been through so much with these characters, and I needed to know that at least one thing in particular was going to be okay. It didn’t happen the way I expected, but it did happen.

This is a pretty dark series, but this book is the darkest of the three. Kiaran’s Unseelie curse has returned, making him dependent on biting humans to survive. The world has begun to fracture, which can only be remedied by him or his sister being killed unless Aileana can find the ancient book in which the original curse pitting Seelie and Unseelie fae against each other was written. The story world is rich and dark, as it is in all three books in the series. The earlier books have a little more banter and fun between characters. In this one, things are very tense, though there’s still some banter.

I’m glad I finished the series—I really wanted to know how it all ended—but this wasn’t my favorite book of the three. There were some really satisfying moments where people get their due, and some heartbreaking moments where beloved characters breathed their last. I totally bought in and was hooked on the characters, especially Aileana, Kiaran, and his sister.


Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Cultural Elements
Major characters are white or not physically described. One character reveals she’s a lesbian.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Infrequent use of extreme profanity.

Romance/Sexual Content
Intense kissing between man and woman. Some scenes show them having sex with brief descriptions.

Spiritual Content
Faeries have magic which they use to attack others. Aileana has the magic a dying faerie gave her, but using it will kill her eventually.

Violent Content
Aileana is caught in the middle of a fae war. She battles and kills fae enemies as well as some creepy undead things. Some fae must bite humans in order to survive (sort of like vampire faeries).

Drug Content
Once a human is bitten by a member of the fae, they’re addicted to the venom.


Review: Vanishing Throne by Elizabeth May

Book Review and Content, Dystopian or Post-Apocalyptic, Fantasy, New Adult 18up, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , ,

The Vanishing Throne (The Falconer #2)
Elizabeth May
Chronicle Books
Published on June 21, 2016

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

About The Vanishing Throne
Everything she loved is gone.

Trapped. Aileana Kameron, the Falconer, disappeared through the fae portal she was trying to close forever. Now she wakes in an alien world of mirrors, magic, and deception—a prisoner of the evil fae Lonnrach, who has a desperate and deadly plan for his new captive.

Tortured. Time after agonizing time Lonnrach steals Aileana’s memories, searching for knowledge to save his world. Just when she’s about to lose all hope, Aileana is rescued by an unexpected ally and returns home, only to confront a terrifying truth. The city of Edinburgh is now an unrecognizable wasteland. And Aileana knows the devastation is all her fault.

Transformed. The few human survivors are living in an underground colony, in an uneasy truce with a remnant of the fae. It is a fragile alliance, but an even greater danger awaits: the human and fae worlds may disappear forever. Only Aileana can save both worlds, but in order to do so she must awaken her latent Falconer powers. And the price of doing so might be her life…

My Review
After I read the first book in The Falconer series, I couldn’t wait to read this one. Somehow it still took me like two years to do it, though. Oops.

What I loved: witty banter between characters, and one new character in particular. I loved Kiaran’s sister. She’s not at all like the stereotypical fae with the moodiness or aloofness. She has this open curiosity and goofy sense of humor but still feels like a member of the fae somehow. I liked her a lot. I also really enjoyed Aileana’s friend, a pixie named Derek. I’d forgotten all about him between books, but once he came back on the scene, I was hooked all over again.

The romance element remains strong and some very interesting plot twists place a lot of obstacles between Aileana and her happily-ever-after. Some of those twists took me completely by surprise, but they made so much sense looking back. I love when a story has a turning point like that, where it makes you go back and see all the earlier parts differently.

One thing that I kind of missed from The Falconer is that Aileana used to be much more concerned with propriety. She makes sure to have boundaries in her relationships with men. In this book, she has no thought for boundaries or her future. Some of that makes perfect sense, since the story has a much more post-apocalyptic feel, so it would be weird if her feelings about her future didn’t change. I guess there wasn’t really a point where she evaluated her beliefs and changed. She kind of just gets swept up in her relationship with Kiaran and never appears to think about any consequences to her actions. It wasn’t a huge deal in the story, but for anyone who read the first book thinking the series wouldn’t have any sex in it because of the time period it’s set in and Aileana’s personal beliefs, just know that isn’t true.

Reading Vanishing Throne made me super interested in reading the series finale, Fallen Kingdom. I love the strong heroine and the memorable characters, so I’m definitely eager for more. The series is a great pick for fans of Julie Kagawa.

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Cultural Elements
The story is set in Scotland, so most characters are white and upper class.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used very frequently. A few instances of stronger curses.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between man and woman. One scene shows them undressing and going to bed together. It’s obvious they have sex but not graphically described.

Spiritual Content
The story contains faeries and monsters who possess magic. Some humans have specialized abilities which allow them to sense faeries or resist their magic. Some fae have an alliance with humans and use magic to protect them.

If a human dies and comes back to life, they may return with the ability to see the Fae. It can also unlock other gifts.

Violent Content
Battle scenes with some descriptions of injuries. Aileana is captured by fae at one point and tortured. Mostly her torture is mental. For instance, eventually, the isolation becomes a huge burden and she becomes eager for her captor’s visits. He bites her repeatedly, and his venom causes some additional pain.

Drug Content
Fae bites inject a venom that humans find addicting. At one point, a small group sit together drinking whiskey.