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Review: A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,
A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft

A Far Wilder Magic
Allison Saft
Wednesday Books
Published March 8, 2022

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About A Far Wilder Magic

When Margaret Welty spots the legendary hala, the last living mythical creature, she knows the Halfmoon Hunt will soon follow. Whoever is able to kill the hala will earn fame and riches, and unlock an ancient magical secret. If Margaret wins the hunt, it may finally bring her mother home. While Margaret is the best sharpshooter in town, only teams of two can register, and she needs an alchemist.

Weston Winters isn’t an alchemist–yet. Fired from every apprenticeship he’s landed, his last chance hinges on Master Welty taking him in. But when Wes arrives at Welty Manor, he finds only Margaret and her bloodhound Trouble. Margaret begrudgingly allows him to stay, but on one condition: he must join the hunt with her.

Although they make an unlikely team, Wes is in awe of the girl who has endured alone on the outskirts of a town that doesn’t want her, in this creaking house of ghosts and sorrow. And even though Wes disrupts every aspect of her life, Margaret is drawn to him. He, too, knows what it’s like to be an outsider. As the hunt looms closer and tensions rise, Margaret and Wes uncover dark magic that could be the key to winning the hunt – if they survive that long.

In A FAR WILDER MAGIC, Allison Saft has written an achingly tender love story set against a deadly hunt in an atmospheric, rich fantasy world that will sweep you away.



My Review

I really, really liked Allison Saft’s debut, DOWN COMES THE NIGHT, so my expectations for A FAR WILDER MAGIC were set pretty high. For the most part, I think the book delivered on my hopes. The setting feels raw and strange and a bit like a fantasy version of a tiny seaside English town.

Margaret’s character is tragic and closed, but so full. She is a closet full of emotions. Wes is awkward and charming and sometimes a bit doofy, but in a lost puppy kind of way that I found endearing. I loved his sisters, especially Mad and Colleen.

Probably the thing that I struggled with most– which is totally a me issue– is that the book is written in third person, present tense. I don’t know why I tripped over that so much, but I know it slowed me down in my reading because I kept translating it to past tense in my head and then confusing myself. It took a long time for my brain to get with the program on that one, unfortunately.

Other than that, I was pretty easily swept away by the story and characters. I liked the mythical, magical hunt, though I think I kept waiting for something else to happen with the hala, for it to turn out to be not what they expected. And I guess in some ways it wasn’t, but not in the ways I thought it might.

I thought the way the author set up different religious groups/cultures and the animosity between them was really interesting, too. It took me a long time to interpret some of the representation, but some of the clues are pretty obvious. I like the way this reviewer explains it on her Goodreads review.

On the whole, though, I really enjoyed reading it, especially for the moments of banter between characters and some of the sweet, awkward exchanges between Wes and pretty much anyone else. Ha.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 16 up

Representation
Margaret is a Jewish-coded character, called Yu’adir in the book. Wes and his family are Banvish immigrants (kind of a fantasy version of Irish Catholic). Both experience racism and prejudice.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Brief reference to two men being married. One of Wes’s sisters dates girls. Kissing between a boy and girl. References to oral sex. One scene includes nudity and sex.

Spiritual Content
Margaret remembers Shabbos dinners and celebrations with her father, and longs to learn more about her heritage. Wes has been raised to believe that the hala are holy, created by God and containing part of God’s divinity, so that they should not be killed. Both their belief systems are at odds with the majority culture and religion.

Violent Content
Violence against animals and animal death. Situations of peril. Some reference to racist slurs. Two boys get into a fight more than once. Some animals are injured and killed by a magical creature. A boy is also pretty severely injured by the creature.

Drug Content
Characters drink alcohol socially.

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 A FAR WILDER MAGIC in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Wingbearer by Marjorie Liu

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

Wingbearer
Marjorie Liu
Illustrated by Teny Issakhanian
Quill Tree Books
Published March 1, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Wingbearer

Zuli is extraordinary–she just doesn’t realize it yet. Raised by mystical bird spirits in the branches of the Great Tree, she’s never ventured beyond this safe haven. She’s never had to. Until now.

When a sinister force threatens the life-giving magic of the tree, Zuli, along with her guardian owl, Frowly, must get to the root of it. So begins an adventure bigger than anything Zuli could’ve ever imagined–one that will bring her, along with some newfound friends, face-to-face with an ancient dragon, the so-called Witch-Queen, and most surprisingly of all: her true identity.

This captivating middle grade graphic novel, the first of a series, is perfect for fans of the Amulet books and the Wings of Fire series.



My Review

I feel like I have a tendency to describe illustrations in graphic novels or children’s books as being really emotive. When I read WINGBEARER, though, I was blown away by how expressive Teny Issakhanian’s illustrations are. There are several panels that show closeups of Zuli’s face or just her eyes, and those were so powerful. I loved the way the images communicated a LOT of story, too. I felt like I got a deep sense of how the characters felt about each other from the way they were positioned in the illustrations and some of the looks exchanged between them.

The story is really moving, too. I love Zuli’s courage and her protectiveness over her allies. She has such a pure and loving heart. I couldn’t help holding my breath in some moments, wondering what would happen next and how she was going to navigate some of the obstacles in her way. I loved Frowly, the owl, too! Their friendship was so sweet.

I didn’t realize when I started reading this book that it’s the first in a series. I don’t read a lot of graphic novels (I didn’t realize this was a graphic novel when I agreed to review it, either), and I’m really bad about following a whole series, but I would definitely read this one.

Fans of ESTRANGED by Ethan Aldridge will love the otherworldly fantasy elements and beautifully illustrated panels in WINGBEARER.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Zuli is Black.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Characters have magic abilities. Souls of animals come from and return to individual places. For birds, it’s a special tree. Zuli grows up there.

Violent Content
Situations of peril.

Drug Content
None.

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 WINGBEARER in exchange for my honest review.

Review: For the Good of All by M. B. Dahl

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

For the Good of All
M. B. Dahl
Elk Lake Publishing
Published August 8, 2021

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About For the Good of All

“For the good of all, we give ourselves.”

At least that’s how the mantra goes. Everyone knows the refrain. Everyone responds to it. But Ren seriously doubts how killing off people who are different is good for anyone, especially when she’s hiding her own difference.

Just graduated, Ren follows her friend Bala’s advice, “blend in.” Being overlooked isn’t a problem until a cute guy asks her out. Owen’s handsome, funny, and sees her. He treats her like an equal, not a problem. But he has his own secrets.

His issues aren’t like hers, though. Aberrant with a strange ability even she doesn’t understand, Ren must choose to embrace her differences or run before she becomes the next one sacrificed for the good of all.

My Review

I like that this book is told in multiple perspectives. We follow Ren, a girl born with a gift that, if discovered, will mean her death; Owen, a boy with grand aspirations within the Protectorate, shadowed by the guilt of a terrible secret; and Dart, a girl who lives among lots of people with gifts, but whose own ability hasn’t presented itself yet. She worries the Leader has forgotten her or cast her aside.

This is a dystopian story and has some THE GIVER vibes. People who either aren’t thriving within the society or break the rules are “accomplished,” or removed from society and secretly put to death. Unlike THE GIVER, the land is ruled by a powerful man who preaches doing things “for the good of all,” but rules with an iron hand, and his own self-serving values.

The story reminded me a little bit of the series THE UGLIES by Scott Westerfeld, with its sort of starry-eyed people within the society, and the free-spirited, wilderness groups living outside.

FOR THE GOOD OF ALL is a little different, though, in that it’s really centered around a spiritual message. Tatief governs his people with the mantra, “For the good of all we give ourselves,” but that doesn’t actually play out in a way that fosters the community-minded, loving people that it implies. Instead, the group living in the woods who have been gathered by the Leader and his messengers, are the ones who love and care for one another.

All in all, it’s a cool story that explores deep themes about love versus control or fear. I enjoyed reading it. I think fans of Scott Westerfeld or of dystopian fiction might enjoy this one, too.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Major characters are described as having white or tanned skin.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
There are a couple of made up curses used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
There is some clear romantic attraction between characters.

Spiritual Content
Two characters are messengers on behalf of the Leader, who is a Jesus-like character.

Violent Content
Some situations of peril and brief graphic battle violence and violence against unarmed citizens.

Drug Content
One character uses poisons to manipulate and control others.

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 FOR THE GOOD OF ALL in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Excalibur Curse by Kiersten White

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The Excalibur Curse (Camelot Rising #3)
Kiersten White
Delacorte Press
Published December 7, 2021

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Excalibur Curse

While journeying north toward the Dark Queen, Guinevere falls into the hands of her enemies. Behind her are Lancelot, trapped on the other side of the magical barrier they created to protect Camelot, and Arthur, who has been led away from his kingdom, chasing after false promises. But the greatest danger isn’t what lies ahead of Guinevere—it’s what’s been buried inside her.

Vowing to unravel the truth of her past with or without Merlin’s help, Guinevere joins forces with the sorceress Morgana and her son, Mordred—and faces the confusing, forbidden feelings she still harbors for him. When Guinevere makes an agonizing discovery about who she is and how she came to be, she finds herself with an impossible choice: fix a terrible crime, or help prevent war.

Guinevere is determined to set things right, whatever the cost. To defeat a rising evil. To remake a kingdom. To undo the mistakes of the past…even if it means destroying herself.

Guinevere has been a changeling, a witch, a queen—but what does it mean to be just a girl?

The gripping conclusion to the acclaimed Arthurian fantasy trilogy from New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White finds Guinevere questioning everything—friends and enemies, good and evil, and, most of all, herself.

My Review

I’ve loved reading this whole series. I love the way it celebrates the Arthurian legend but centers around female characters. There’s really something magical and immersive about it.

If you know me at all, you know I really struggle with third-and-final books in a series. I long for them. I dread them. Too often I put off reading them until the last possible minute. Then I read them, remember all over again why I fell in love with the series or characters, and can’t believe it took me so long to read the book. Which is pretty much what happened here, too.

Guinevere is such a great character. I loved the way she wrestles with finding the balance between protecting the people she loves and giving them respect and autonomy to take the risks they deem appropriate. And the way she faces questions about her own existence and her value.

I love that the story celebrates Arthur’s magnetism and shows his pursuit of being a good king but also acknowledges his flaws. It made him seem like a much more real person than some of the other Arthurian stories that I’ve read in which he seems too much a legend and not enough an actual person.

One of the amazing things about the story really is the way that it’s not just Guinevere’s tale. She builds friendships and relationships with many women around her. They play key roles in the story and in her journey, and I loved how that played out.

All in all, I think this is a great fantasy series, and I’m so glad I read it. I think fans of Leigh Bardugo or Brigid Kemmerer will enjoy this series.

Check out my reviews of the first two books in the Camelot Rising series: THE GUINEVERE DECEPTION and THE CAMELOT BETRAYAL.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Main character has romantic feelings for a man and woman. There are two female side characters in a romantic relationship. Another side character is bisexual.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between man and woman. References to sex between a man and woman and between two women.

Spiritual Content
Some characters have the ability to do magic. The Dark Queen wants to use magic to destroy humanity. Merlin and the Lady of the Lake used a kind of magic to create Camelot.

Violent Content
Battle scenes, situations of peril and some descriptions of death.

Drug Content
Guinevere and another woman drink a truth potion which makes them feel drunk but speak only the truth.

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 THE EXCALIBUR CURSE in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Ballad of Dinah Caldwell by Kate Brauning

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

The Ballad of Dinah Caldwell
Kate Brauning
Page Street Publishing
Published November 23, 2021

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Ballad of Dinah Caldwell

Seventeen-year-old Dinah runs her family’s farm in the Ozarks. When she finds her grief-stricken mother dead in the living room with wealthy rancher Gabriel Gates standing over her, Dinah’s life narrows to a single point: kill Gabriel Gates.

But Gates has built his wealth giving out bad loans and surrounds himself with bodyguards. Dinah’s mountains are now one giant foreclosure, including her own farm. It all belongs to him. Once he puts a ten-thousand-dollar reward on Dinah’s head, everyone in the starving county wants a piece of her.

Homeless and alone in the woods, all she has is Johnny, the moonshining bootlegger at home in the caves. He begs her to leave the mountains, to start over with a new life. But Dinah is hell-bent on sparking a county revolution. She’ll lose her life to see this killer dead.

My Review

From the very beginning, I was totally invested in this book. It has this gritty, gripping writing style that I absolutely love. And I love Dinah as a character. I loved watching her grow and figure out how to be on her own and what she wanted for her life.

The last few chapters were a bit rough for me, if I’m honest. I still love the book, but there were some things that happened differently than I hoped for, and I think that kind of meant that it ended on a bit of a down note for me. I’m still thinking about it, though, days after I’ve read it, which always means it’s a book that meant a lot to me to read and that I enjoyed reading, even if it ended differently than I expected.

On the whole, I liked the gritty feel of Dinah’s town and the connections between people. I loved her as a character. I think readers who like raw, post-apocalyptic types of books will like a lot of things about THE BALLAD OF DINAH CALDWELL.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Dinah is pansexual. Her best friend is Latina. Another character has two dads. Several characters are in a polyamorous relationship.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. Kissing between two girls. There’s one long, descriptive scene of having sex.

Spiritual Content
Dinah doesn’t believe in any god. She believes she has deity inside herself.

Violent Content
Several scenes show graphic violence. Some descriptions are pretty gory.

Drug Content
A few characters make and run Moonshine. One man offers Dinah Moonshine to drink. She sips some but doesn’t finish her drink. A child drinks with her.

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 THE BALLAD OF DINAH CALDWELL in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Splendor by Breeana Shields

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The Splendor
Breeana Shields
Page Street Kids
Published on September 28, 2021

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Splendor

The Splendor isn’t just a glamorous hotel, it’s a magical experience that gives its guests the fantasy fulfillment of their dreams. But The Splendor didn’t make Juliette’s dreams come true. It ruined her life.

After a weeklong stay, Juliette’s sister, Clare, returns from the hotel changed. Her connection to Juliette―the special bond they once shared―has vanished. In a moment of hurt and frustration, Juliette steals their meager savings and visits The Splendor herself.

When she arrives, she’s taken in by the lush and sumptuous hotel. But as she delves more deeply into the mystery of the place, and how they make their illusions work, she grows more and more uneasy. The Splendor has a seedy underbelly, but every time she gets close to discovering something real, she seems to hit a wall.

Meanwhile, Juliette meets Henri, an illusionist who lives and works at the hotel. Henri’s job is to provide Juliette with the same Signature Experience he gives all the guests―one tailored fantasy that will make her stay unforgettable. As he gets to know her, he realizes that not only is he ill-equipped to make her dreams come true, he’s the cause of her heartache.

My Review

This is another book that I simply couldn’t stop reading. I stayed up way too late finishing it, and even though I’m super tired now, I have zero regrets. I had to know how it would end.

Both Juliette and Henri are the kinds of characters that hit me like an arrow to the heart. They’re vulnerable and smart and loving and wounded, desperate to help someone they love. I loved the tension between them, but also that the story didn’t push the romance to the forefront. Like, sometimes their connection or their feelings for each other would be on the brink of becoming obvious, and all of a sudden, some big hairy bad thing would happen. After, they processed what had happened rather than being like “wow, we almost died, how about that kiss?” So it felt really organic the way their relationship developed and didn’t overtake the story. I really liked that.

I also liked the pacing of the story. So much happens. THE SPLENDOR is one of those books where there’s a really strong rhythm, and so many of the chapters ended with that stakes leaping higher or some new danger emerging. I loved that! It’s one of the things that totally kept me reading.

The only thing I wasn’t totally in love with was that the opening chapter reads a bit like backstory. It’s kind of bringing us up to speed on Juliette’s relationship with her sister and the significance of the hotel to the two of them. I think it would have been cool to have that chapter feel more immediate, like the rest of the book, and have that information woven into the first few chapters, but I can see why the author chose to introduce the story that way. It worked, it just felt a lot different than the rest of the book.

I think readers who liked CARAVAL by Stephanie Garber or THE SCORPIO RACES by Maggie Stiefvater will love this story steeped in magic and mystery.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
The story is set in a French or French-inspired city.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Brief kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
The hotel is built on top of springs that well up with magic. Hotel staff harness the magic and use it to create illusions and other magic.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Some instances of gaslighting. A girl is murdered.

Drug Content
Juliette drinks a bubbly pink drink that changes how she feels. Most of the food and drink at the hotel is infused with a kind of magic that affects how people feel once they’ve consumed it.

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