Tag: YA Fantasy

‘A Forgery of Fate’ by Elizabeth Lim

Rebecca RouillardLeave a comment

I absolutely loved ‘Six Crimson Cranes’ and the ‘Spin the Dawn’ duology so I was looking forward to another one of Elizabeth Lim’s Far Eastern-inspired fairytale retellings.

‘A Forgery of Fate’ is based on Beauty and the Beast but it has a lot of other elements inspired by various stories and mythologies (eg. The Magic Paintbrush). After Truyan’s father dies in a shipwreck, her family is thrown into poverty, which is exacerbated by her mother’s gambling problem. Truyan is a gifted artist and makes money by forging paintings to sell but she also has a secret that she’s never told anyone – she has visions and can paint the future.

When a desperate financial situation forces Truyan to seek the help of the mysterious masked ‘Demon Prince’, he offers her a deal. He will pay off her debts and protect her family in exchange for her posing as his true love, joining him in the dragon realm and helping him to overthrown the cruel and tyrannical Dragon King. The Demon Prince is in fact a Dragon Prince called Elang – a half dragon, cursed by the Dragon King. But once she joins him in the dragon realm, she discovers there’s more to Elang, and more to the story than she’s been told.

This is a charming, lyrical and romantic story, filled with strange creatures, vibrant landscapes and captivating characters. Unlike, her recent duologies, this is a standalone story so everything is wrapped up nicely by the end of the book (although there are some tears along the way). Highly recommended!

Thanks to Hodderscape and Netgalley for the digital ARC.

‘The Notorious Virtues’ by Alwyn Hamilton

Rebecca RouillardLeave a comment

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this one but the book cover design was particularly enticing and I loved the ‘Rebel of the Sands’ trilogy. Once again, Alwyn Hamilton has created a unique fantasy genre mash-up. This time the world building is based on European fairytale mythology, the story of a woodcutter and a magic axe, but the vibes are very Gotham City noir, with an ‘Inheritance Games’ plot – an intriguing combination.

The Holtzfall family – descendants of the original woodcutter – are the de facto royal family of Walstad and control all the money and magic. Nora is daughter of the Heiress, which means she is next in line after her mother inherits from her grandmother, but when her mother is murdered the succession is thrown into uncertainty and Nora must compete against her cousins in a magic competition called the Veritaz to prove her worth and earn the right to be the new Heiress. Throw in a newly revealed illegitimate cousin as a surprise contestant, a journalist investigating the truth behind Nora’s mother’s murder, and a V for Vendetta-style resistance movement, to create a dazzlingly original fantasy thriller. I adored this and I can’t wait for the next one!

Thanks to Faber and Netgalley for the digital ARC.

And I couldn’t resist the Waterstones special edition paperback – look at those gorgeous sprayed edges!

‘The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy’ by Brigitte Knightley (Dearly Beloathed #1)

Rebecca RouillardLeave a comment

Osric is an assassin and member of the Fyren order, but when he discovers that his magic is failing, the only person who might possibly be able to help him is Aurienne, member of an enemy order – the Haelen. But how can Osric convince her to save him when he is her mortal enemy and the healing that he seeks is based on fairytales and nothing more? He tries to charm her, considers kidnapping when this fails, but ultimately only a large donation towards pox vaccine research to help impoverished children can sway her. Thus begin the adventures of Aurienne and Osric – full of acerbic banter, gratuitous murder and pining. 

Osric (despite his awful name – Osric is the name of a troll or an orc surely?) is a lethal and wickedly charming character with a weakness for rescuing stray dogs. Aurienne is ruthlessly competent and fiercely upright but her moral fibre becomes increasingly frayed with exposure to Osric. 

I loved DMATMOOBIL by the same author, and so I requested this book on Netgalley as soon as it was available. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but this is an utterly different story, complete with a brand new world (possibly an excessive amount of terminology) and all new witty reparte – only the immaculate vibes remain. A delightful romp with an irresistible pair of enemies-to-lovers – I absolutely adored this and can’t wait for the next book in the series.

Thanks to Little, Brown and Netgalley for the digital ARC.

‘Threads That Bind’ by Kika Hatzopoulou

Rebecca RouillardLeave a comment 
In the city of Alante, Io is a private investigator with a special skill - she is a cutter, descended from the Fates and able to see the threads that bind people to the things they care about as well as the thread that represents their lifespan. She's also able to sever the threads. But when one of her clients is attacked by a women who's life-thread appears to have already been cut, Io must partner with a boy called Edei to investigate - but what she hasn't told Edei is that she can see a thread of fate already connecting the two of them. 

Though there have been plenty of recent retellings and books inspired by Greek mythology, 'Threads That Bind' feels particularly fresh and vivid. I loved the rich and detailed fantasy world the author has created around the threads, the simmering tension between the mortals and the descendants of the gods, and the heartbreaking dilemma Io faces as someone with the power to sever the threads of fate and life. 

This book blends fantasy, romance, mystery and thriller to create a dazzling, immersive read. Brilliantly done - I can't wait for the next book!

Thanks to Puffin and Netgalley for the digital ARC.

‘Bitterthorn’ by Kat Dunn

Rebecca RouillardLeave a comment

There is a curse that hangs over the town of Blumwald. Every fifty years, the Witch comes down from her castle in the forest and takes a young man as her companion, never to return. No one knows why or for what purpose the young men are taken, but it has been fifty years since the Witch’s last visit…

Mina’s mother died when she was twelve, her father quickly remarried and she’s been lonely since then. As her father prepares for an important visitor, Mina finds herself overlooked and unwanted once again. In desperation she offers herself to the Witch and is accepted as her new companion. Mina’s new life, however, is just as lonely and frustrating as her old life so she sets out to befriend the Witch and unravel the mystery of the Witch’s curse.

‘Bitterthorn’ is an intoxicating blend of historical fiction, queer gothic romance and fairytale. The backdrop of Chancellor Bismarck’s visit and the Unification of Germany places the story in a very specific historical moment in the late 1860s and yet it incorporates plenty of Grimm’s fairy tale elements including witches, wicked stepmothers, hedges of thorns, spindles and curses. 

It is also an exquisitely written book, replete with lush botanical imagery and steeped in atmosphere. A thoroughly beguiling read, perfect for fans of Adalyn Grace and Holly Black.

Many thanks to Andersen for this gorgeous limited edition proof.

‘Divine Rivals’ by Rebecca Ross

Rebecca RouillardLeave a comment

‘Divine Rivals’ is a fascinating mash-up of mythology, historical fiction and romance. The story feels like it is set in the mid-twentieth century, with trench warfare and war correspondents typing up their dispatches on typewriters, and yet it is a more egalitarian world where both men and women fight in the army and same-sex marriage is legal. And in this world the war they are reporting on is due to the rivalry of two ancient gods: Dacre and Enva.

When her brother goes off to fight in the war, Iris types letters to him that mysteriously disappear when she puts them in her wardrobe. She is convinced that she is communicating with him through some magic means until someone writes back and it is not her brother. As Iris exchanges letters with the mysterious ‘Carver’ she begins to open up to him and realises that she is falling in love with someone she has never met. 

But, in parallel to the clash between Dacre and Enva, Iris has a nemesis of her own. Roman Kitt was her fiercest competition for the coveted columnist job at the Oath Gazette, and now he has followed her to the front lines – to show her up again as a war correspondent, Iris is convinced. But if she hates him so much, why can’t Iris stop thinking about him? And why do they keep saving each other’s lives?

I couldn’t put this book down, between the chemistry sparking between Iris and Roman, the immersive setting, and Iris herself – a wonderfully brave, resilient and compassionate character. A thrilling and intriguing new fantasy world – I can’t wait for the next book in the series.