The book opens with a dedication to the readers who have agonized over the abrupt ending of What the River Knows, and I think more authors should respect a reader's plight because darn right this is dedicated to me! As it should be! About time someone noticed! You can’t just leave me hanging like that with a final twist that stabs you in the gut! That’s right—this week, we’re talking all about the epic conclusion to the historical fantasy mystery, Where the Library Hides. Careful, though; ...
fantasy
WOMS: The Republic of Salt
It's been almost a year since we explored the Mirror Realm, and—at last—it's time to return with Ariel Kaplan's latest installment in her Jewish-inspired epic fantasy series, The Republic of Salt. But reader beware! Spoilers are ahead! Events start immediately after the first book's conclusion without missing any beats. Asmel and Toba Bet are on the run on the mortal side of the gate as Naftaly, Elana, a severely wounded Barsilay, and the old woman are trapped on the Mazik side in the ...
WOMS: The Spellshop
My uncle died earlier this month. I know that’s an odd way to begin a book review, but his death is intrinsically linked to this book I want to share. This will be a bit unorthodox. Thanksgiving is tomorrow, and I'm flooded with memories in my mourning. I've sat down trying to write this review as strictly a review for the past month, but each time I can't help but circle back to my uncle and his death. I seem incapable of separating the two. You see, after I first learned he was dying ...
WOMS: The Familiar
I hadn’t planned on reading The Familiar because the cover creeped me out a bit and I wasn’t sure if it would be too dark for me. How wrong I was. I’m so glad my friend persuaded me to give this a read because it was a heartbreaking, beautiful love story, one only Leigh Bardugo could have written. Though I haven’t read her new Ninth House series, I have read all but one of Bardugo’s Grishaverse books. To me, Bardugo is a superior writer because she has a way of weaving tragedy so humane ...
WOMS: Dreamspinner
Remember my recent return to reading epic fantasy and how annoyed I was? It reminded me I hadn't yet read the third trilogy in Lynn Kurland's Nine Kingdoms series. If you haven't guess by now, that's exactly what I did, so let's talk about it! Why I took so long to read this third trilogy, I don't know nor understand. Sure, last year I might have needed a break after plowing through the first six books, but for an entire year? When I love this series so, so, SO much? What's so great about ...