*I received a copy from the publisher via Netgalley in return for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book.*
Wren Booker can barely remember when she was discovered covered in blood on the streets of New York. But years later, when she finds a cryptic website supposedly streaming multiple strange rooms, she is haunted by forgotten memories. Desperate to find the truth, she hunts down the website source and breaks into a camera-filled maze building that isn’t as abandoned as Wren once thought.
I was enticed by the cover and art style and finished reading it all in a (literal) blink of an eye. Wren has followed her obsession with her past into a world of uncountable surveillance cameras and feeling that someone – or something – is watching her. The art style and illustration really carry this entire story – it encapsulates Wren’s dark, obsessive nature and the labyrinth in which she finds herself trapped.
If anything, I was disappointed in the found-footage aspect of the graphic novel since it sets up readers for an entirely different story. Found footage assumes we are witnessing Wren’s story as if it were discovered film or recordings, but instead, it’s about what Wren finds within the sinister building. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed reading the story, but it was a shame to realise the direction wasn’t going in the way it was promoted.
Blink was almost perfect. It starts with a great premise, fantastic art and panels—an urban tale about the dangers of surveillance. Unfortunately, the execution is disappointing and loses steam towards the end, leaving behind a ghost of what could’ve been.
I received this book for free from Hear Our Voices Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I promised my mother I would never come to Bato-Ko…and yet here I am.
Narra Jal is one of the cursed, cast aside her whole life, considered unlucky. But with her mother’s life on the line, she will return to the city where she was born to face the trials: a grueling, bloodthirsty series of challenges designed to weed out the weak, the greedy, and the foolish. Trials to select the next ruler of Tigang.
Narra has nothing. No weapons. No training. No magic. No real chance of leaving with her life. Just her fierce grit and a refusal to accept the destiny she’s been handed. Even the intense, dark-eyed Guardian she feels a strangely electric connection with cannot help her. Narra is on her own. But she’ll show everyone what the unlucky can do.
Let the bloodbath begin.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Every ten years, the people of Tigang welcome a new ruler. Volunteers from the city must survive the Sundo, a multitude of challenges designed to test if they can prove themselves strong enough to rule. To return to Bato-ko means breaking her promise to her mother, but Narra Jal has no choice. She doesn’t want to lead; she just wants to know why her mother was arrested under mysterious circumstances and hopes that she can free her from prison by winning. But there’s a reason why her mother forbade her from ever returning, and if she wishes to save her family, she must delve deep into her past.
Fun fact: I actually had the opportunity to read this manuscript as an intern at Entangled, so it pleases me to be a part of the blog tour to gush about a great story once again.
The Moonlight Blade is a gripping and intense young adult fantasy set in a world where magic is both feared and revered. Narra impersonates her older sister to partake in the Sundo and quickly learns that her family history within the city is much deeper than she ever anticipated, spanning even into her past reincarnations and placing her into the path of the current Astar, an immortal turned mortal, who was sent to advise her nation’s people. Not only that, but she has also gained the attention of Astar’s right-hand man, Teloh, who is hiding secrets of his own. As Narra and Teloh’s path intertwines, they face unimaginable danger.
What I loved the most about this novel are the characters that just come right off the page. Narra worries that she is unlike her sister, who lights up the room, but she is a formidable person in her own right, gaining the respect of her competitors with her sharp wit and tongue. The way her relationship grows with her peers is what got me hooked right away. The supporting cast is well-developed, with complex and relatable motivations that add depth to the story. (Dayen and Virian, I will fight for you both, say the word, and I’ll be there.)
Barbosa has created a rich and detailed world full of complex magic and mystery that spans years of history to create a captivating and believable story. The story is wonderfully written, with vivid descriptions that bring the world of Tigang to life. For fans of Sabaa Tahir and Renée Ahdieh, The Moonlight Blade is a release that should be on your radar.
I also wanted to note that this outfit was based on my own research before I realised that Tessa Barbosa had posted a pre-order benefit tweet which showed a more accurate rendition of Narra’s outfit that I could’ve used as a reference (Still cursing myself for not checking, haha)
You can watch the timelapse video here! I also live-streamed this on Twitch (the VOD is unfortunately unavailable due to video error – I have a love-hate relationship with OBS), but I’m often live on the weekdays playing games (I am currently streaming horizon zero dawn) or drawing on the weekend, so come check it out!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tessa Barbosa loved books so much that after spending one to many late nights up reading, and eating distractedly at the table, her parents banned her from reading. It didn’t work. Tessa stuffed books under her mattress, hid them in her sweaters, and many poor paperbacks met their ruin in a hot bath.
But writing novels didn’t happen for a long time. She majored in computer science, and minored in the fine and performing arts. After graduation, she switched from a career in software development to technical writing, because words were always her first love. Now she writes software help by day, and fantasy novels by night. Her debut YA Fantasy novel THE MOONLIGHT BLADE, will be out in 2023 from Entangled Teen. What better way to live in stories than to write them?
*I received a copy from the publisher via Netgalley in return for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book.*
Prophesied to be the most powerful witch, Mariel Spark feels far from such a glorious title, especially as a descendant of the famed Spark family. She prefers the comfort of her kitchen and greenhouse over the magic in her veins. When a summon goes wrong, and instead of flour to bake, Mariel accidentally called a demon, and to make matters worse, unknowingly enters a soul bargain with him.
I love randomly requesting books on Netgalley because I find gems like this. A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon was an utter delight. Never thought I would find myself so heavily invested in the life of a witch and demon fake dating to hide the fact that she summoned a demon onto Earth from her overbearing mother.
Mariel is a charming woman with a whole lot of love to go around, but to her family, it means nothing if she can’t wield the magic within her to a more respectable use than tending to her garden. Her mother is a textbook narcissist who is convinced that Mariel simply isn’t trying hard enough and threatens to cut off financial support for her education if Mariel doesn’t improve soon. And as she is in the middle of baking, Mariel tries her luck to summon flour but summons a demon instead. In comes, Ozroth (or Oz), who is in a similar situation where he must regain the respect of the demon elders, which means taking Mariel’s soul back with him. A witch’s soul is their magic, so Mariel isn’t planning on parting with it so quickly. So he’s stuck on Earth until he can figure out a way to get it from her. But that also means he can’t leave her side, which is becomes a problem explaining his presence to her mother. Rather than admit her spellcasting failure, Mariel blurts out that Oz is actually her boyfriend. As Mariel struggles to combat an ongoing development that will threaten the wildlife in her town, Oz has a limited time to make a deal, and as the two struggle to maintain their fake relationship, a real one happens between them.
I always adore an excellent reluctant friends-to-lovers story, and Mariel and Oz’s chemistry was hilarious and heart-warming. Who wouldn’t want a fake demon boyfriend who defends you against your shitty family? Although it falls victim to the typical third-act miscommunication trope, which definitely could’ve been done better, Mariel and Oz are hilarious. I found myself laughing through all their interactions. Considering Mariel summoned one of the worst demons you could call upon, she keeps her head straight despite Oz’s cheeky attempts to take her soul; both are equally loveable.
A Witch’s Guide is Hawley’s debut, and I was immensely impressed at her ability to craft hilarious and relatable inner monologues for both Mariel and Oz. An entertaining paranormal romance which makes me super excited to read its sequel, which surprisingly follows a secondary character I had not expected.
I drew fanart too!!!! This scene was hilarious, and I knew I had to draw it immediately!
*I received a copy from the publisher via Netgalley in return for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book.*
Zara has always wanted her own love story. A real kind of love. But when her best friend Adnan accidentally tells everyone they’re dating to hide his actual girlfriend, Zara doesn’t know what to do. The news of her relationship appears to lessen the arguments between her parents, so maybe this isn’t all that bad. But how long can they pretend to be in a relationship without straining Adnan’s real one, and can they keep up pretences in front of their friends without ruining everything?
Yeah, this wasn’t very pleasant. I should’ve known I would feel this way after Adnan became an absolute prick towards Zara. By the time we reached the end of this story, it felt like nothing had been added to the overall plot and characters. Even as best friends or fake lovers, Zara and Adnan held no chemistry whatsoever.
The bulk of the story hinges on Zara and Adnan’s relationship; they constantly remind each other that they are the best of friends and nothing else matters because the strength of their friendship should trump all. Adnan insists that despite his new relationship, his friendship with Zara will not falter, but then he continues treating Zara terribly for the entire story. He fails to consider her feelings while he gets the best of both worlds; he gets the girl and gains the adoration of his family for finally “dating” Zara. And what does Zara get? Despite convincing herself that this fake dating would distract her parents from arguing, nothing substantial actually happens. They still fight, upsetting Zara, which defeats the purpose of what she is supposed to be benefiting from this relationship. Adnan doesn’t even do much to keep his end of the bargain; he continues to publicly flirt with his girlfriend in situations where their plans would definitely get them caught; Zara will then have to swoop in to correct the issue, causing arguments between the three of them.
This book would have done well to undergo some further brainstorming. A lot is going on, but nothing really sticks out. Zara and Adnan don’t respect each other, their “plan” lacks any action, and there is just so much going on in the background that the story falters because it doesn’t know where to focus its plot. On top of their fake plan and familial issues, there is also a side plot of Zara’s friend who wants to make a documentary of her new relationship and an anonymous Instagram gossip account that is strangely forgotten for most of the novel.
There’s not much else I can say about this book. Poor Zara. She deserves a lot better.
*I received a copy from the publisher via Netgalley in return for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book.*
When Juniper Song witnesses her rival Athena Liu’s death, she does the unimaginable: she steals a manuscript about the contributions of Chinese labourers to the war efforts during World War I. She submits it to her agent as her own work. From there, June receives a career revival; she makes the lists her debut failed to reach, and she is invited to significant events that shunned her years before; Liu’s story makes her a star. But how far can she go living in Liu’s spotlight? Or will someone from their past drag her back into the shadows?
I genuinely commend R.F. Kuang for traversing into a genre that is not typical of her fantasy sphere, but I did not enjoy this as much as her previous releases, which is true heartbreak. Yellowface is dark and grim, a witty tale about the state of the publishing industry and the erasure of non-white voices. Kuang knows how to write messy people, and Juniper Song might be the greatest example of that. I thoroughly enjoyed how the story highlights several problems within the publishing industry.
Perhaps, in her way of being meta about publishing, it felt too much. At one point, I was just wondering if I was reading my Twitter timeline. Yellowface is undoubtedly well-written, but the narrative voice was perhaps unbearable and repetitive to the point where even at the end, where we see her antics reach their peak, I was glad to be done with her.
This book will be great for another reader, but for me, it just wasn’t working. In an attempt to be satirical, Yellowface falls flat in a tale that I would call Book Twitter on a regular Monday.
*I received a copy from the publisher in return for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book.*
Ithaca recounts the story of Penelope, wife of Odysseus and mother of Telemachus, who awaits her husband’s return from the Trojan War. Seventeen years into the war, the people of Ithaca grow worried as the speculation that Odysseus is dead invites suitors to begin knocking at Penelope’s door. No one is worthy enough to stake a claim to Odysseus’ empty throne, but a cold war is brewing, and any choice Penelope makes may plunge her kingdom into a devastating war. Only through her spy network can Penelope regain control, but all eyes are on her, and if she’s not careful, Ithaca might pay the price.
Ithaca is one of the newest additions of Greek retellings that have made it to our shelves recently as we follow Penelope tread the fine line between the silent wife and while regaining possession of her city until her son is ready to take the throne. But the suitors are getting restless as the island struggles to deal with the pirates that appear on the shores every full moon. To make matters even worse, Penelope’s cousin, Clytemnestra, is rumoured to have fled to Ithaca with her children hot on her trail, seeking revenge for their slain father.
Very little time is spent in the original Odyssey focusing on Penelope’s decades-long wait in Ithaca, so in this retelling, it is refreshing to see her hold her own. North’s rendition is somewhat straightforward but feels seamless to the original tale. While this is the story of Penelope, she is not the storyteller. Instead, Hera and her biting tongue narrate the tragedy of Ithaca, which is a surprising but welcoming addition to the tale.
Ithaca was an enjoyable exploration of Penelope’s tale. While I didn’t find myself as compelled as I thought I would be, this isn’t the end of Claire North’s rendition, and I am indeed impressed enough to see her carry the tale to the end.
as told by zaheerah 