2021Reads – Page 28 – A Take from Two Cities

FOREVER WILD by K.A. Tucker – double review!

From the international bestselling author of The Simple Wild comes Forever Wild, a novella that continues the story of Calla’s journey to the Alaskan wild and a life she never imagined for herself.

The holiday season is upon Calla and Jonah, and with the mistletoe and gingerbread comes plenty of family drama. Jonah is bracing himself for two weeks with a stepfather he loathes, and while Calla is looking forward to her mother and Simon’s arrival, she dreads the continued pressure to set a date for their wedding … in Toronto. Add in one bullheaded neighbor’s unintentional meddling and another cantankerous neighbor’s own family strife, and Christmas in Trapper’s Crossing will be anything but simple.

Title : Forever Wild
Author : K.A. Tucker
Series : Simple Wild (book 2.5)
Format : eBook (overdrive)
Page Count : 156
Genre : contemporary romance
Publisher : indie
Release Date : December 1, 2020

Reviewer : Hollis / Micky
Rating : ★ ★ ★ ★ / ★ ★ ★

Hollis’ 4 star review

So somehow this novella did what the previous full length installment didn’t do for me. It made me happy, it made me sad, it made me cry, and it also made me excited about a companion book featuring the same cast and crew but with a different protagonist. It was also all that and very festive and lovely for the holiday season, too.

My one gripe would be that there was a dynamic introduced between Jonah and another character that definitely worked as a way to give this short read some angst and tension.. but I’m not entirely sure it wrapped in a satisfying way. Or, like, at all? It also had another suspense/tension element that ties into this and also maybe wasn’t necessary, particularly as the thing that ties it all together was.. again, not quite a resolution. So if I think too hard on that I might be tempted to round down but.. honestly, carrying over from the major positive in book two? Roy. Roy broke me in this one. I had so many feels. I enjoyed the Calla and Jonah romance dynamic too, don’t get me wrong, but was more periphery for me. I was more invested in the whole town/group dynamic. And yeah mostly Roy. My heart..

So if you want something sweet and cozy and maybe also a little sad but still lovely, and you’re already a fan of this series, you absolutely need to fit this in before the end of the year; or at least while still in the throes of winter.

Micky’s 3 star review

A short and bland review from me I’m afraid. As with all the books in this series, Forever Wild was easy reading and mildly entertaining but it didn’t give me much on the feels front. It’s definitely an added extra and not required reading in the series. In fact, I felt short-changed a bit by the end section, it was very rushed.

I do have an vague affinity for Calla and Jonah but even more for the setting of Alaska and romance in that context. I liked Calla in this but Jonah fell flat for me on this one. There wasn’t much of his personality on the page unless you count the grounching at parents. The storyline was sweet and enjoyable. Roy was a highlight, his grumpy self was so endearing.

One of the best things was the promise of a book for Marie, I’m definitely here for that.

THE PUSH by Ashley Audrain

‘The women in this family, we’re different . . .’

Blythe Connor doesn’t want history to repeat itself.

Violet is her first child and she will give her daughter all the love she deserves. All the love that her own mother withheld.

But firstborns are never easy. And Violet is demanding and fretful. She never smiles. Soon Blythe believes she can do no right – that something’s very wrong. Either with her daughter, or herself.

Her husband, Fox, says she’s imagining it. But Violet’s different with him. And he can’t understand what Blythe suffered as a child. No one can.

Blythe wants to be a good mother. But what if that’s not enough for Violet? Or her marriage? What if she can’t see the darkness coming?

Mother and daughter. Angel or monster?
We don’t get to choose our inheritance – or who we are . . .

The Push is an addictive, gripping and compulsive read that asks what happens when women are not believed – and what if motherhood isn’t everything you hoped for but everything you always feared?

Title : The Push
Author : Ashley Audrain
Format : eARC
Page Count : 320
Genre : Psychological Thriller
Publisher : Michael Joseph
Release Date : January 7, 2021

Reviewer : Micky
Rating : ★ ★

Micky’s 2-2.5 star reivew

This was one of the most unsatisfying books I’ve ever read and it presented a completely messed up family, situation and bunch of relationships. There was little hope in this story and lots of dread. That title was innocuous at first but it quickly conjured foreshadowing and actually, I found a fair bit of the story predictable.

If I listed all the trigger warnings, it’d be an essay but what I struggled with most was reading about neglect. There’s something about that form of abuse that cuts me deep. This story was about legacy, three mothers but mostly Blythe, all products of their nature/nurture and how that played out with the fourth generation…Violet. It felt like a horror movie at times.

There was a whole lot of mental illness, especially in the previous generations and dare I say, psychopathy and sociopathy. It made for discomforting reading for sure. With Blythe however, things seemed somewhat diluted in terms of her own health but that legacy was strong.

The narrative style was odd. The story was written like a letter to a significant character in the book using both first and third person. Short, abrupt sentences were often the order of the day. However, there was a compelling element to this story that kept me reading, even when I disliked the subject matter rather intensely. The ending was exasperating though.

I think people will either love or hate this book. I expect it to be polarising and you can see which pole I neared. I do like thrillers but I am choosy with the context matter, this wasn’t my cup of tea with the abuse focus. However, those able to read about these subjects more easily may find The Push to be more up their street.

Thank you to Michael Joseph for the early review copy.

A CROWN OF TALONS by Katherine & Elizabeth Corr

Fight or flight . . . or both?

Three months after Aderyn’s coronation the court is celebrating the Solstice, but Aderyn is preoccupied by Lucien’s continuing hostility. The celebrations are interrupted by the arrival of nobles who have escaped from the neighbouring country of Celonia – the flightless have risen up and overthrown their rulers. The world is changing.

As people being to question whether Aderyn and Aron are strong enough to rule, there is an attempted assassination on Aderyn’s life. Siegfried and Tallis have made their move – they have formed an army, declared war and will take the throne, by any means necessary.

Aderyn must fly to unchartered territories and risk the lives of everyone she loves to defeat her enemies, secure her throne and unite her people.

Epic, dangerous and impossible to put down, this finale takes you on a soaring journey through grief, strength and determination to fight for what is right, what you love and what is yours.

Title : A Crown of Talons
Author : Katherine & Elizabeth Corr
Series : A Throne of Swans #2
Format : Paperback
Page Count : 352
Genre : YA Fantasy
Publisher : Hot Key Books
Release Date : January 7, 2021

Reviewer : Micky
Rating : ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Micky’s 5 star review

How did I not realise this was a duology and not a series? I’m pretty pleased I got the culmination in book two and this was a pleasant realisation towards the end. I didn’t have chance to re-read the first book before diving into A Crown of Talons but I needn’t have worried, these authors caught you back into the tale with ease and without repeating lots of info. I knew where I was within a few pages and I was totally wrapped up in the story in those first few pages too.

The world of A Throne of Swans is built on humans that can transform into birds of flight but also an under class of the flightless and I’ve loved that it’s a historical fantasy world. This sequel brought war, leadership wrangling, marriage difficulties, betrayal and so much eye-glued to the page. I enjoyed reading the politics as Aderyn slowly and delicately considered and worked towards a place of equality for those of these lands. The politics in the book weren’t onerous but they were all part of the strategy and plot development.

Adaryn, Aron, Odette and of course Lucien were the characters I was dying to find out what was happening with. There were some gutting and clever twists to the story but I was always hoping. No spoilers here, you’re just going to have to read.

The Throne of Swans world has been one I’ve been so happy reading in despite book two not being a happy book as such. Talons was a fairly fast paced read but it also had times where you got to catch your breath and take stock.

This YA fantasy duology is such an all-encompassing reading experience with beautiful covers as well. These are going to look so pretty on my shelf and I will continue to recommend these reads to anyone who enjoys the genre.

Thank you Hot Key Books and Kaleidoscopic Tours for the review copy.

YOU HAVE A MATCH by Emma Lord

From the beloved author of Tweet Cute comes Emma Lord’s You Have a Match, a YA novel of family, friendship, romance and sisterhood…

When Abby signs up for a DNA service, it’s mainly to give her friend and secret love interest, Leo, a nudge. After all, she knows who she is already: Avid photographer. Injury-prone tree climber. Best friend to Leo and Connie…although ever since the B.E.I. (Big Embarrassing Incident) with Leo, things have been awkward on that front.

But she didn’t know she’s a younger sister.

When the DNA service reveals Abby has a secret sister, shimmery-haired Instagram star Savannah Tully, it’s hard to believe they’re from the same planet, never mind the same parents—especially considering Savannah, queen of green smoothies, is only a year and a half older than Abby herself.

The logical course of action? Meet up at summer camp (obviously) and figure out why Abby’s parents gave Savvy up for adoption. But there are complications: Savvy is a rigid rule-follower and total narc. Leo is the camp’s co-chef, putting Abby’s growing feelings for him on blast. And her parents have a secret that threatens to unravel everything.

But part of life is showing up, leaning in, and learning to fit all your awkward pieces together. Because sometimes, the hardest things can also be the best ones.

Title : You Have a Match
Author : Emma Lord
Format : eARC
Page Count : 320
Genre : YA contemporary
Publisher : Wednesday Books
Release Date : January 5, 2021

Reviewer : Hollis
Rating : ★ ★ ★ ★

Hollis’ 4 star review

Hoo boy the emotions this book made me have. So many. Yes, this has a cute cover, yes it’s YA and from the author who gave us the hilarious TWEET CUTE last year but.. this still hits and some of those hits land hard.

Yes, yes, I cry easily, it’s a very poorly kept secret that isn’t a secret at all but even during some of the not-as-emotional moments, Lord somehow just handled certain moments with such.. I don’t want to say care but, understanding? I felt so much of everything through the author’s writing. Whether it was about struggling with awkward and unrequited feelings for your best friend, feeling second best, or a failure, whether it was wanting to bury things deep within just to avoid dealing with them, with confrontation, I could go on and on. We only get one POV and yet I felt all this from our lead and felt just as much for the secondary cast.

If you’ve read the plot, you know there’s likely to be some drama and angst an some messy family discussions on the horizon and oh boy are there ever. Things got messy but there was less of that for the sake of drama and more the feeling of actual pain, loss, heartbreak. While one character jokes their life has taken on the hue of a CW tv show, they aren’t wrong, exactly. But it still feels very real.

And as for the friend dynamics? Chefs kiss. So many varieties, so many layers, all the complications that ensue as a result. But they were wonderful even when things were going awry. Like, truly, what made me cry more? The family stuff, the friend stuff? Who can say!

Anyway, this is definitely a funny (not quite chockfull of outright lolz, so maybe I mean charming?), heartwrenching, delightful, and totally compelling read. I devoured it in a few short hours because I could not tear myself away.

I do just want to leave a brief note that, as of the time of me reading this (and keep in mind it’s an ARC..), there were quite a few references to a certain Wizarding World universe as far as Houses and traits. While I don’t know if they will make it into the final copy I thought it worth a mention. So if that is triggering for you, please just be mindful.

** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **

GRACELING by Kristin Cashore – double review!

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug.

She never expects to fall in love with beautiful Prince Po.

She never expects to learn the truth behind her Grace—or the terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.

With elegant, evocative prose and a cast of unforgettable characters, debut author Kristin Cashore creates a mesmerizing world, a death-defying adventure, and a heart-racing romance that will consume you, hold you captive, and leave you wanting more.

Title : Graceling
Author : Kristin Cashore
Series : Graceling Realm (book one)
Format : eBook (overdrive)
Page Count : 481
Genre : YA fantasy
Publisher : Dial Books
Release Date : October 1, 2008

Reviewer : Hollis / Micky
Rating : ★ ★ ★ ★ / ★ ★ ★ ★

Hollis’ 4 star review

This was another reread for me, and another that I haven’t read in aaages, and honestly I’m not mad at all about ending a crap year with some old favourites which are all turning out to still be favourites. Is there anything better?

When you’re a monster, she thought, you are thanked and praised for not behaving like a monster. She would like to restrain from cruelty and receive no admiration for it.

That said, nostalgia wasn’t the only reason for revisiting this world after so long. As has been the trend for a few older and beloved trilogies, we have a new release coming very shortly for book four in the Graceling Realm world, and I definitely couldn’t pick that up without a solid refresh. Most of the plot points I had remembered but the details, the emotions, some of the characters? All hazy.

Mercy was more frightening than murder, because it was harder.

But oh man was this good. I love when YA stands the test of time. And, in hindsight, Cashore did so many great things with her characters, things we expect now but didn’t always get then, and that’s why it will continue to do well even ten years from now.

The basic premise of GRACELING follows a king’s killer, a Graced individual with the gift for killing, and how she breaks away from his control to be her own person, in control of her own actions, and along the way helps to save another nation, and even find love. Yes, I’m being vague, but a lot of people have read this so why rehash and for those who haven’t? I want to tempt you, tease you, tantalize you into picking this up and learning more.

This is such a fabulous fantasy and I am excited to continue this reread journey; not only to get to the new content but revisit all the things from books two and three that I’ve forgotten — which is pretty much everything!

Micky’s 4 star review

Another late entry to the party on this beloved-by-many series. It took me a little while to get into it but I really enjoyed the characters and world that Kristen Cashore created. The graces that certain chosen ones were bestowed with at birth were varied, interesting and not always for the good.

Katsa swept me away in this book. She wasn’t easy to get to know initially but when she cracked her facade a little, her whole self was so likeable. Po brought out the best in Katsa as did Bitterblue (I can’t wait for Bitterblue’s book). This story had the most vile villain and I loved everything about how that played out.

For me, this was a subtly feminist tale. Katsa was wholly feminist but there were themes that really sold this to me – the haircut and marriage views. I loved this element to the story and that it underpinned Katsa as a strong woman but still a woman with a heart.

This was a story told over time, time for character building and development, for friendships and relationships to really feel solid and for there to be a strong history to how the tale played out. This all makes me think this is so well written, I can’t find fault with any of that. I’m so looking forward to reading on with this and the plan is to get completely up to date with the series this month – wish me luck!

I read and listened to this on an audio/ebook combo and despite this being a full cast audio, I really didn’t gel with it. For me, the ebook was preferable.

A DEAL WITH THE ELF KING by Elise Kova

Perfect for fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses and Uprooted, this stand-alone, fantasy romance about a human girl and her marriage to the Elf King is impossible to put down!

The elves come for two things: war and wives. In both cases, they come for death.

Three-thousand years ago, humans were hunted by powerful races with wild magic until the treaty was formed. Now, for centuries, the elves have taken a young woman from Luella’s village to be their Human Queen.

To be chosen is seen as a mark of death by the townsfolk. A mark nineteen-year-old Luella is grateful to have escaped as a girl. Instead, she’s dedicated her life to studying herbology and becoming the town’s only healer.

That is, until the Elf King unexpectedly arrives… for her.

Everything Luella had thought she’d known about her life, and herself, was a lie. Taken to a land filled with wild magic, Luella is forced to be the new queen to a cold yet blisteringly handsome Elf King. Once there, she learns about a dying world that only she can save.

The magical land of Midscape pulls on one corner of her heart, her home and people tug on another… but what will truly break her is a passion she never wanted.

A Deal with the Elf King is a complete, stand-alone novel, inspired by the tales of Hades and Persephone, as well as Beauty and the Beast, with a “happily ever after” ending. It’s perfect for fantasy romance fans looking for just the right amount of steam and their next slow-burn and swoon-worthy couple.

Title : A Deal With The Elf King
Author : Elise Kova
Series : Married To Magic #1
Format : ebook
Page Count : 338
Genre : Fantasy
Publisher : Silver Wing Press
Release Date : November 6, 2020

Reviewer : Micky
Rating : ★ ★ ★ .5

Micky’s 3.5 star review

This was my first read by Elise Kova after hearing great things about the Air Awakens series. I picked this up on a whim from Kindle Unlimited and it gave me what I was looking for – light fantasy, easy to read and a completed story.

I do like an Elf King-type story and this is pitched as a Hades & Persephone retelling. I can see the retelling in there, but it wasn’t overt. The characters of Eldas and Luella were easy to get to know and the story had page-turning properties. King Eldas was predictably autocratic and paternalistic but there was character growth. I enjoyed Luella’s craft and affinity with plants. Hook the wolf was a lovely animal character.

I enjoyed the kingdoms and description, I do think that the author captured my imagination and painted a picture I could easily see. The story was light but lacking in depth at times. The storyline played out with predictability but it was nevertheless enjoyable to read.

Book one, whilst complete as a story, is the start of a series in these worlds. Having read the bonus epilogue on the author’s website (which I loved), I am definitely down to read more from this world. I’m definitely going to seek out Air Awakens and hope it’s a little deeper.

THE IPPOS KING by Grace Draven – double review!

The Wraith King saga continues.

The demonic horde that threatened to devour the world has been defeated, but at great cost.

Plagued by guilt and nightmares, Serovek Pangion sets out to deliver the soulless body of the monk Megiddo to the heretical Jeden Order for safekeeping. Accompanying him is sha-Anhuset, the Kai woman he admires and desires most–a woman barely tolerant of him.

Devoted to her regent, Anhuset reluctantly agrees to act as a Kai ambassador on the trip, even though the bold margrave known as the Beladine Stallion gets under her skin like no other, and Anhuset fears he’ll worm his way into her armored heart as well.

But guilt and unwelcome attraction are the least of their problems. The demons thought vanquished are stirring again, and a warlord with blood-soaked ambition turns a journey of compassion into a fight for survival. When the Beladine king brands Serovek a traitor, Anhuset must choose between sacrificing the life of a man she’s grown to love and abandoning lifelong fealty to the Kai people.

A tale of loyalty and acceptance.

Title : The Ippos King
Author : Grace Draven
Series : Wraith Kings #3
Format : ebook / overdrive
Page Count : 437
Genre : Adult Fantasy
Publisher : Indie
Release Date : October 6, 2020

Reviewer : Micky / Hollis
Rating : ★ ★ ★ / ★ ★.5

Micky’s 3 star review

I’m a sad bunny posting this rating but it is what it is. Anyone who knows me, knows that I recommend Grace Draven and this series left, right and centre but sadly The Ippos King was disappointing to me. This wasn’t a bad book, it was an okay read, but I found it inconsistent in terms of pacing and spark.

Anhuset and Serovek were a couple that Wraith Kings readers have been waiting for. The unlikeliest of pairings but I’ve always imagined them perfectly matched. The best thing about The Ippos King was these two as a couple. However, the tension and build between them wasn’t always there. When it was, it lit a fire and I felt Grace Draven’s spark in the writing.

I struggled with not feeling the story much at all for the first half of the book. It felt like there was some over-lamenting back to previous plots. However, at about 45% in the ebook, the story started to gain some traction for me and it kept going like that until about 75%. So you can see, I felt an inconsistency in the story keeping my attention with plot and pacing.

I definitely liked the ongoing story of the monk element of the Wraith Kings and I look forward to reading more in that vein. I liked some of the side characters and the main characters themselves. I just didn’t get that feeling I normally get with this author’s books.

I will continue to champion Grace and her other books and I’ll still look forward to book four in this series. However, I won’t eagerly recommending this installment.

Hollis’ 2.5 star review

I’m sorry to say but this installment wasn’t quite worth the wait.

As happens more often than I like, the build-up for a particular romantic pairing was better than the reality. The culmination of finally getting these two together? It just fell completely flat. I felt very little real chemistry for the majority of the romance.

Additionally the story was long, and dragged, and half the time rehashed moments from the previous books — which, I mean, fine, it’s been like six years, a reminder wouldn’t be amiss — but it used those as a touchstone one too many times to beat us over the head as the foundation of this pairing. Which, again, totally fizzled.

The tie-in to the big confict of book two is interesting, and I’m curious to see more of that play out in book four, but the actual telling of this story could’ve probably been summed up in a novella. Much of this could have been trimmed. And this definitely needed a more thorough editing pass; there were quite a few formatting bits that fell through the cracks, not to mention a continuity issue or two, and I wouldn’t have thought to see that after all the time spent on this release.

But alas! Draven has written some really great stories and I’m not convinced this series should be scratched off that list yet. I’m keen for book four — whenever that’s to come.

FABLE by Adrienne Young – double review!

As the daughter of the most powerful trader in the Narrows, the sea is the only home seventeen-year-old Fable has ever known. It’s been four years since the night she watched her mother drown during an unforgiving storm. The next day her father abandoned her on a legendary island filled with thieves and little food. To survive she must keep to herself, learn to trust no one and rely on the unique skills her mother taught her. The only thing that keeps her going is the goal of getting off the island, finding her father and demanding her rightful place beside him and his crew. To do so Fable enlists the help of a young trader named West to get her off the island and across the Narrows to her father.

But her father’s rivalries and the dangers of his trading enterprise have only multiplied since she last saw him and Fable soon finds that West isn’t who he seems. Together, they will have to survive more than the treacherous storms that haunt the Narrows if they’re going to stay alive.

Welcome to a world made dangerous by the sea and by those who wish to profit from it. Where a young girl must find her place and her family while trying to survive in a world built for men.

Title : Fable
Author : Adrienne Young
Series : Fable #1
Format : eARC / eBook (overdrive)
Page Count : 368
Genre : YA Fantasy
Publisher : Wednesday Books
Release Date : September 1, 2020

Reviewer : Micky / Hollis
Rating : ★ ★ ★ ★.5 / ★ ★ ★

Micky’s 4.5 star review

I crushed this in a day, simply because I could not put it down. FABLE was the start of a strong duology, all at sea. It was a tale of survival, family and bonds stronger than family. Fable was a deep sea diver and everything about that was fascinating.

I’d dove almost every day since I was a child. The water was more of a home than Jeval ever was.

Fable herself was a strong young woman, almost feral but human under the shell. She had been abandoned in a place where food and resources were sparce. I was completely puzzled by her situation but quickly admiring of the adversity she had overcome and continued to overcome. I loved the subtle unveiling of her skills.

As a character Fable was rich in personality even though she revealed little of herself to those around her. I was intruiged by the Marigold and the crew, especially the helmsman, West. How the story interwove the characters and plot points was so clever. The relationship with her father was truly captivating, frustrating and and heart-breaking.

The writing in FABLE just made me disappear into the world and the worlds; I highlighted a lot. The story and the characters really hit the spot with me but I am partial to an adventure set on the seas. This is my favourite of Adrienne Young’s books so far. I cannot wait to read the second part, I need it now.

The silence of the sea found us, my heartbeat quieting, and I painted each moment into my mind.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for the early review copy.

Hollis’ 3 star review

I’ll be honest, the hype for this one was too high. I think every single book buddy of mine was raving about this so the bar was just too much for me to crawl over, I think. Particularly in my lingering “everything is just okay” kind of mode.

This was one of the better books I’ve read in the last string of reads however I’m not entirely sure this’ll have a lasting impression on me. Even now it’s all kind of fading away. The first half definitely kept me engrossed but the later half had me reaching for the phone.. a lot. So this didn’t quite pass the phone test, alas not much does these days.

I think my biggest struggle is this feels like coming into the middle of the story. Not because we open with the consequences of an event, because we learn about that before too long; but still something feels already-started. Not unfinished, but missing. I don’t even know how to describe it. Maybe this’ll go away after reading the sequel but I think all that’ll do is wrap things up, not fix whatever went missing with me at the onset of this. Maybe it’s the lack of the worldbuiling. This story is just presented as-is and in fantasy that rarely happens. Maybe that’s the missing piece.

Biggest takeaway from this review? I have no idea what I’m trying to say and describing an amorphous feeling is obviously not my strong suit. If you like some medium-high stakes, some sea adventuring, some hard living, betrayals, and maybe romance, I think you’d like this. Also go read some more articulate (and effusive) reviews, maybe. There are lots!

THE BLACK FLAMINGO by Dean Atta – double review!

I masquerade in makeup and feathers and I am applauded.

A boy comes to terms with his identity as a mixed-race gay teen – then at university he finds his wings as a drag artist, The Black Flamingo. A bold story about the power of embracing your uniqueness. Sometimes, we need to take charge, to stand up wearing pink feathers – to show ourselves to the world in bold colour.

Title : The Black Flamingo
Author : Dean Atta
Format : eBook / overdrive
Page Count : 368
Genre : Contemporary YA, LGBTQIA+
Publisher : Hodder Books / Balzer + Bray
Release Date : August 8, 2019 / May 26, 2020

Reviewer : Micky / Hollis
Rating : ★ ★ ★ ★ / ★ ★ ★ ★

Micky’s 4 star review

THE BLACK FLAMINGO was a beautiful, real story told with grit. A coming of age, coming out, all while being black story. What felt unique to me about this story and different to other coming-out stories was that it started in young childhood. Don’t get me wrong, it didn’t linger for ages in that age-range but it depicted Michael’s experiences from a young age and I loved that.

Michael’s blackness and the experience of having Greek/Cypriot mother and black father who deserted them was fresh and insightful reading. Michael’s own realisations about the colour of his skin alongside his sexuality were thought-provoking and poignant. Seeing Michael become his true self, cast off other people’s presumptions and eventually being drawn to drag was absorbing reading.

‘He is me, who I have been,
who I am, who I hope to become.
Someone fabulous, wild and strong,
With or without a costume on.’

The story was told in verse that was incredibly engaging. In addition, Michael was a poet and so there were poems peppered throughout the book. In particular, I loved Maybe I’m a Merman and I Wanna Be Fierce. The book was illustrated and formatted in a way that enhanced the reading process (or should have done, see my next paragraph).

I bought the ebook for this read and unfortunately there was a problem with the text formatting, nearly every single page of the 300+ pages had a problem with text doubling over itself. I went to report it on amazon but I could see that it is not currently for sale and under review; this surely means they know about the problem and it’s being fixed. Before you click the link below to the book, please check it has been resolved.

THE BLACK FLAMINGO was a quick but impactful read that was inspirational. Dean Atta has a fresh narrative voice and he is a gifted poet. I’d definitely recommend this read.

Hollis’ 4 star review

I’m not quite sure I’ve done much reading in verse, particularly not an entire story in it, and for the first half of The Black Flamingo I wasn’t sure it was really my thing. I liked it, I was enjoying the story, but I wasn’t really connecting.

That completely changed once we’d transitioned into Michael’s young adulthood as he eased out of highschool and into college. This had already been a pretty fast read (the page count initially shocked me until I remembered it was verse, I r slow) but I blazed through it after the halfway mark. I couldn’t devour this fast enough. I was completely invested in both the events and the evolution, the inner and the outer.

Beyond just loving the story so much more, though, I absolutely adored the poetry sprinkled throughout. I went back to read them more than once.

This read won’t take up much of your time but it should absolutely take priority on your TBR. Highly recommend.

THE HOUSE IN THE CERULEAN SEA by TJ Klune – double review!

A magical island. A dangerous task. A burning secret.

Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages.

When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he’s given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days.

But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.

An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realizing that family is yours.

Title : The House in the Cerulean Sea
Author : TJ Klune
Format : eARC
Page Count : 400
Genre : LGBTQIA+ fantasy
Publisher : Tor Books
Release Date : March 17, 2020

Reviewer : Hollis/Micky
Rating : ★ ★ ★ ★ .5/ ★ ★ ★ ★

Hollis’ 4.5 star review

This book was a delightfully sweet and lovely cup of heartbreak, melancholy, and wonder. Which sounds almost awful, or hella sad, and probably contradicts the vibe the cover is putting out, but I don’t know how else to describe all the things this made me feel.

There is whimsy and wonder in this world where magical people exists, there’s melancholy in the reality that children who demonstrate these abilities are sequestered in orphanages and regulated schools or programs, monitored by the government with caseworkers who ensure their safety and well-being, and there’s sweetness in the particular caseworker we follow, Linus; a round middle-aged man believed to be wholly unremarkable, friendless but for his cat, who is in fact so much of the opposite.

“I’m afraid I don’t have magic.”
“You do, Mr. Baker. Arthur told me that there can be magic in the ordinary.”

There were so many moments that had me a hair’s breadth away from crying. I welled up, swallowing hard, like.. six times? Probably more. At one point I was almost wrecked by a bloody button. And then, of course, there was a moment near the end where I just let go. Had my cry. I own it. The emotion Klune packs into his writing resonates so strongly and hits even harder because of the children in this story. Sal, in particular, just.. wow, yeah, I have no words.

Like Linus, it is impossible to remain impartial in the face of these children who were unwanted, unloved, or deemed too dangerous, too unique, to be anywhere else but this little island, far away from others. Through the narrative, Klune challenges prejudice, racism, and mob mentality, and does it beautifully. This is the perfect story for our time, our current climate, and it’s delightfully unique because of the circumstances and the rare collection of gems that are these atypical characters. Truly, the creativity of this story is something else.

I loved this book so much. For all the heavier topics and bittersweetness of it all, this was a lot of fun, too. It’s silly, weird, and delightfully charming, full of emotion and hope and love.

I definitely recommend.

** I received an ARC from Edelweiss and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **

Micky’s 4 star review

Headlines:
Warm and whimsical
THE most endearing found family
Hurt and healing

Well, I didn’t know much going into this other than various friends’ love for the book and this review isn’t going to enlighten you. It’s going to be more of a feels than a plot review.

This is a totally character-driven story with a very engaging plot in the background but as a reader, all eyes were on the characters. From Linus, awkward and formal to my favourites Sal and Chauncey. Almost every character was special and sneak-stole my heart. It was a story about the unwanted being wanted and it had political and governmental tones. There were important themes that resonate.

He was but paper, brittle and thin, and he clutched the photograph to his chest, hugging it close.

This was a warm tale, full of whimsy and delightful magic. I got lost in the story and really enjoyed the experience. It made my eyeballs leak a little and I experienced that fuzzy feeling on ending.

*side note*
I read this book after the stories of the heinous maltreatment and murder of indigenous children in Canada broke and so I entered this story with trepidation. In the early reading of the story, I saw a few uncomfortable parallels but I was able to sink into the story. However, I am not suggesting you forget the premise foundation for this story which is based in some reality, go out there and educate yourself as I intend to do further. My book bestie suggests this read as a starting place 21 Things You Might Not Know About The Indian Act.