Cozy Fantasy Meets British Bakeoff

Image copied from Bookshop.org

A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic is a delightful cozy fantasy! I thoroughly enjoyed this one, and I think the premise was perfect for this genre. If you like lighthearted fantasy and are familiar with the Great British Baking Show you will likely love this book. Arleta Starstone is a master baker living in a sleepy shire. Her only stumbling block for achieving her dreams of opening her own bakery someday is that she is a magicless human trying to make her way in a world full of magical beings. When her next-door neighbor secretly enters her in the kingdom's Baking Battle, Arleta is shocked to learn she's been issued an invitation to compete. But she is equally certain she'll be disqualified when the judges learn she is a magicless human.

The premise of a baking competition for much of the story, lends a familiarity to this fantastical setting where the other competitors are elves, dwarves and halflings, making this a perfect fit for a cozy fantasy. The stakes are still high for Arleta to succeed in order to fulfill her greatest dream. But during the baking scenes, hearing how she feels most at home while mixing up delicious pastries, cakes or cookies is relatable for anyone who either loves baking or loves watching baking on TV (which is totally me). I also loved the friends Arleta makes along the way and her love interest in the story, Theo. The worldbuilding is fun as well. Instead of baking in a tent, they are baking in a castle in a city of elves. I don't want to give too much away, but I truly loved all the fantastical beings depicted in the story and suspect there will be more books in the series from these secondary characters' point of view.

Some may be a bit turned off by Theo's instant enamorment of Arleta. But this is believably explained later in the book, in my opinion. Often in this trope one character already has a crush on the other for some reason. So, I wasn't surprised by this for Fellowship. I did get a little frustrated with Arleta towards the end of the story at her stubborn inability to accept Theo's affections, even when he continues to help her after the Baking Battle. But other than that, I found this novel to be as strong in its writing and characterization as "The Spellshop" by Sarah Beth Durst or T. Kingfisher's "A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking." I look forward to reading more books by J. Penner set in Adenashire. She is one of my new favorite cozy fantasy authors.

As for my next review, stay tuned. I have several books I'm considering for May. But I have not settled on exactly which one will be next. So, my May 11th review will be a surprise. It will likely be a romance, or a YA fantasy, or an urban fantasy. It could also be a middle grade contemporary fantasy that I read recently that just had some incredibly beautiful prose and explored some important themes about the power of the written word and imagination. That one might be a definite review for next month. So, if you love any of those genres of fiction, one or all of them may be in my review line up for May and June. 
 

Unique Cinderella Retelling

 

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A Reluctant Assassin by J.C. Morrows follows an unique premise in terms of this Cinderella retelling. As the logline implies the story revolves around the idea of what would happen if Cinderalla was sent to the ball to kill the prince. That and the cover alone had me intrigued enough to turn the page. Overall, I enjoyed the results but there were some things I think could have made this stand out as a fairy tale retelling even more.

So, what did I like about this book. First, it begins with an ominous setting where Kayden is chosen from among several young women for the mission the extremely dangerous and mercurial head of the Order of the Moonstone wants to set in motion. There is tension and mystery embedded in this opening scene that did make me want to keep reading. From there the story begins with a ball and we get duel points of view from here between the prince Dvarius and Kayden our would be Cinderella. Morrows stays true to the original Cinderella scenario here by making Kayden a mysterious contender for the prince's attention. She is posing as a noblewoman to seemingly have the opportunity to be selected as the next princess for the kingdom and eventually the queen. The characteristics that Morrows gives her character makes it easy to see why she stands out from this crowd of beautiful women and captivates Prince Dvarius. Only we as readers know that her mission is more nefarious than anyone realizes. Another thing I appreciated at the start of the book was the way that Morrows conveys that this is not some high fantasy setting but instead is a dystopian kingdom several hundred years after a devastating world war. She does this by having Kayden study a series of paintings that depict different points in history. This was a clever way of giving us information without bogging us down in exposition. I also was surprised by this. I was not expecting the kingdom of Aurelius to be the remnants of what used to be our world. Other positives about this novel were how the Christian tones of the story play out through Dvarius in a realistic way without being preachy or overwhelming the overall plot. That isn't always an easy thing for a Christian writer to do. The hints we get of Kayden's training as she navigates the palace early on were also fun to read about in terms of her character development. 

That brings me to some things I would have loved to see more of in the novel. While the bits of backstory concerning Kayden's training for her mission are well-balanced in that they don't bog us down in flashback sequences, I would have loved to have seen some of this in an opening chapter before she gets to the palace in real time rather than getting hints about it. This is of course a deliberate choice of the author. But I love a good training and spy montage. That's a personal preference on my part. However, the backstory for Kayden also could have been developed a bit more. Early in the story a certain phrase is given true weight and significance on the page, hinting at a traumatic past of some sort for Kayden. But we never get a full view of what this phrase brings to the fore for her. We only are told that it is a trigger of some kind. As a writer, if you are going to give something like that significance early on, I feel it needs to have some kind of pay off for the reader at some point in the book, even if it comes at the very end. I did not feel that was the case in this instance. Instead, it is noted by the characters, the phrase is then avoided and it sinks into insignificance from there. The other thing I think was a missed opportunity for the story was fully utilizing Kayden's talents throughout the story. We start off strong at the beginning, but from one tense moment on, her skills become buried under all the will they won't they push and pull of the romance. If she is as intent on completing her mission as we are led to believe, if the stakes are really that high for her if she fails, I would have liked to have seen this play out more by her doing more assassin, spy-like stuff like mapping out the castle and any secret passages it might have, sending and receiving more coded messages, getting to know the other women competing with her for the prince's attention. Could one of them be another plant from the order? How are they monitoring how Kayden is doing? This would have kept the stakes higher and the tension much tighter, in my opinion, as Kayden fights her growing attraction for Dvarius. While some of this is touched on, I didn't feel it was given as much prominence to the plot and character as it could have been.

That being said, the ending had me wanting to read more in the series to find out what will happen next and how the two main characters might eventually secure a happily-ever-after together. Based on the ratings I've seen of the other books in the series, they seem to just get better from here. If you'd like to pick up a copy to check this one out for yourself, you can click on the title link to be taken to bookshop.org. You may also find copies wherever books are sold.

In a couple of weeks, I'm thrilled to be able to review another cozy fantasy, A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic  by J. Penner that I was gifted an ARC of from NetGalley and Sourcebooks in exchange for my honest opinion. It was originally an indie published novel, but has been picked up by Sourcebooks and is set to have a custom print edition published April 15 wherever books are sold. I plan to get a print copy when it comes out. Below is a blurb and the cover of the novel both copied from bookshop.org.

Image copied from bookshop.org

She doesn't need to have magic in order to be magic...

In the heart of Adenashire, where elvish enchantments and dwarven delights rule, human baker Arleta Starstone works twice as hard at perfecting her unique blend of baking with apothecary herbs. So, when her orc neighbor (and biggest fan) secretly enters her creations into the prestigious Langheim Baking Battle, Arleta faces a dilemma. Being magicless, her participation in the competition could draw more scowls than smiles. And if Arleta wants to prove her talent and establish her culinary reputation, she'll need more than just her pastry craft to sweeten the odds.

Though Arleta may not yet believe in herself, she makes her way to Langheim--with the help of a very attractive woodland elf--and competes. While on a journey of mouthwatering pastries, self-discovery, heartwarming friendships, and potential romance, Arleta will have to decide whether winning the Baking Battle is the true prize after all. But win or lose, her adventure is only beginning...

Light Adventure Romantasy

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Fate of Dragons by Alisha Klapheke is the first in a four book series that also includes a novella. It's a romantasy adventure with dragons and elves and a chosen one trope. It is also a quick read for those who like shorter fantasies. It is marketed toward young adults, but I think it would fit squarely in the new adult category as the main character is in her early twenties when the series begins. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and I'm glad I bought the omnibus set that includes all four novels and the novella. So, here is a review of what I loved and what I would have loved more of.

First, the worldbuilding for this novel is great. We open with Vahly scaling a cliff to gather a healing plant for one of the dragon kynd she lives with. All of the land dwelling beings left in the world seem to inhabit a single island and the sea folk are set on destroying it. The castle and caverns of the Lapis clan of dragon, who took Vahly in as a baby, is intriguing and well drawn. I don't think I've read a fantasy recently that depicted dragons as having a many leveled castle/cavern dwelling or a set hierarchy like the one in this book do. Most of the dragon books I've read have had the beings living in dwellings looking fully human and only dragoning out when they want to fly. Or the converse of that is dragons only as dragons and living in caves in the mountains or acting as flying steeds for humans. But Klapheke depicts them as a intelligent creatures who can shift to look more human, but still retain their dragon scales and qualities. They have a complex society with a matriarch as their head and distinct clans between the Lapis, the more scholarly clan, and the Jades, the more war-like clan of dragons. There are also a group of dragons that are referred to as oath breakers because they aren't attached to either clan. These rebel dragons are actually some of Vahly's closest friends because like her, they don't seem to quite fit in with the rest of society as they should. 

In addition to the worldbuilding and clan development for the dragons, I also found Vahly's characterization to be relatable and sympathetic. Vahly lives among the dragons because the matriarch of the Lapis dragon clan saved her right before the last human settlement on the island was flooded by the sea witch and her army. Amona, the Lapis matriarch, believes that a special mark that Vahly bears means that she is destined to be the last Earth Queen and will be the one who will stop the sea witch from flooding their island home and save the dragons and elves that remain. This belief sets up the source of conflict in the novel very well as Vahly has no magical powers whatsoever. Worse, she has no idea why or if there is a way to awaken any she might have lying dormant inside because there were no human records saved before the sea witch killed the last of the humans off. But the waters keep rising to ever more dangerous levels and time is of the essence for all land dwelling beings if they want to stop their home from being destroyed. One of Vahly's best friends of the oath breaker dragons, Nix has told Vahly that the Lapis clan might not have any human records in their library but they do have some recorded by the elves, a group the dragons dislike for some reason. This knowledge is what sets Vahly off on her quest to not only discover if any elves still exist in the Forest of Illumahrah, but also to see if they know of any human rituals that might help Vahly awaken her powers.Vahly feels her failure to be the savior everyone was counting on keenly. We also get a sense of the deep loneliness she feels as the last human growing up amongst dragons. As she interacts with them in the story, we learn that she is not widely accepted nor can she take it for granted that she will always be safe if she crosses a line with one of the dragons in her clan. Vahly has been raised to be all to aware of the fact that without Amona's protection she could easily become roasted meat for the other dragons who see her as a puny nuisance rather than the answer to their troubles. The interactions and Vahly's place in this world were different and very realistic in this way.

There were some things that I would have loved to see more in this novel, though. For one thing, I would have liked to have spent more time with Vahly in the realm of dragons, especially to see her interact with the ones she sees as friends. We do get to see her interact with Nix, a dragon cider house owner. We get to meet and have some limited interaction with some of the other oath breaker dragons. But I didn't feel we got nearly enough time with them or got to learn enough about them as characters to truly be able to connect with them. For this reason, when events unfold later in the story those events don't have quite the impact I think they could have if we'd spent more time with some of the secondary characters who aid her on her quest. I felt the same about the love interest in the story with the elf Arcturus that Vahly saves. In the blurb for the book, it hints that Arc might have some dark secrets of his own. But I didn't feel this conflict with him was as fully realized as it could be and I felt that the connection between him and Vahly was a bit rushed. I would have liked for them to have spent more time adventuring and getting to know one another in order for us in turn, to get to know Arc more to be able to connect with him fully.

All that being said, I do think Fate of Dragons is a fun read and I do plan to read the rest of the books in this series. As I mentioned earlier, the series is complete and there is even an omnibus available where you could purchase all the books in one. By clicking on the title link you can get your own copy of this novel on bookshop.org. Or if you'd like to check out what other books Alisha Klapheke has for sale, feel free to visit her website at alishaklapheke.com.

Next month I will be reviewing fun, fairy tale inspired adult fantasy A Reluctant Assassin by J.C. Morrows. It is a tale inspired by Cinderella, but what if Cinderella went to the ball not to meet the prince but to assassinate him. Check out the book cover and blurb below, both copied from bookshop.org.

Kayden never thought of herself as the Belle of the ball, much less that she would be unexpectedly thrust into the royal palace, surrounded by society darlings - all vying for the Prince's attention. But Kayden's intentions are far from innocent, as she has a mission to complete - to get close to the Prince... and kill him.

As she enters the palace under a false identity, Kayden must navigate the treacherous world of royalty and high society, all while hiding her true intentions. She may appear to be just another princess, but beneath the façade lies a cold-blooded killer waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Meanwhile, Prince Dvarius is not prepared to take the crown just yet. He never wanted to rule, but due to his father's sudden death and an ancient law, he must find a bride before he can take his rightful place on the throne. And the one woman who catches his eye just might be the very same one who is plotting to end his life.

As Kayden and Dvarius' paths intersect, the tension between them grows, and they must navigate their conflicting desires and the deadly secrets they hold. Will Kayden carry out her mission, or will she succumb to the allure of the Prince? And will Dvarius be able to uncover the truth before it's too late?

For fans of The Selection and Throne of Glass this thrilling tale of love, betrayal, and royal intrigue will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. Buy now and discover the dangerous world of A Reluctant Assassin in this unique Cinderella retelling.

Darkly Humorous Fantasy Horror for Middle Graders

 

Image copied from Goodreads

Quincy's Curse by Keith Robinson is the first novel I've read by this author. I had the privilege of meeting Robinson at a Con I attended recently in Chattanooga, TN, Con Nooga. I highly recommend it as a con if you love books, theatre, film or anime as it has tracks for writers, theatre and film actors and for those who just love all things anime or sci-fi/fantasy. After hearing Robinson talk on some writing panels and learning that he wrote mainly for middle grade readers, I picked up a couple of his books. I will say that I was not at all disappointed that I did after reading Quincy's Curse.

Unlike many of his other novels, this one by Robinson is a standalone story. One that incorporates a villainous demon inspired from German folktales that I'd never heard of before. But that isn't the only thing that sets this story apart from other fantasies I've read for this age group. Quincy's Curse starts off with dark humor and a contemporary tone set in a medieval world in a similar vein to something written by Terry Pratchett. For instance, we have a grumpy old man who wears long robes, has a beard and dabbles in magic but refuses to be categorized as a wizard. We also have Quincy, the titular character, who is somehow cursed with both good, bad and sometimes terribly rotten luck and Megan a village girl determined to befriend him. The novel is also populated with dragons, knights both inept and competent, witches and a host of other magical and mystical beings. But even though it begins with quirky, somewhat light-hearted humor it is mixed with some truly dark and complicated themes throughout as the story unfolds. 

I was drawn in by the humor and the unusual world. But I also found it amazing how the story is told. Rather than following just one or two main point-of-view characters, we instead are introduced to a new character with each chapter. Each one in some way helps to move the plot along and reveal a new thread that somehow ties in with Quincy and his curse. For this reason, the story also unfolds in a non-linear fashion as some characters take us back in time while others give us information about more current events. Often with stories that have so many characters, I find it hard to stay invested. How can you become attached to a story with some many perspectives after all? Nevertheless, Robinson is able to weave in clear stakes and clear character development in the space of a chapter for each individual and in the end, the fact that it all relates to the mystery surrounding Quincy kept me reading. I also appreciated how some characters are likeable and lovable, while others are much more complex, sometimes with truly tragic results. The villains in the story are truly scary individuals, too. So, if you don't like stories that can get dark and that have horror elements to them, you might want to steer clear of this one. That being said, as this is geared toward younger readers, Robinson does a fine job of keeping things from getting too horrific for his audience and the story does come to a satisfying end with a happy for now sort of conclusion for Quincy and his friends. 

My only complaint for this novel was the fact that I found Quincy the one character that I connected to the least. To me, he was less developed in terms of his internal wants and needs. He is sort of a sad sack throughout the book who has accepted his fate and doesn't seem to think there is any hope of ever escaping it or even figuring out how he got cursed in the first place. I would say Megan, who becomes his best friend, has more agency and motivation throughout the story than he does. For this reason, though I did enjoy this book and would recommend it to anyone who likes dark humor and fantasy, I would rate it a 4.5 out of 5 stars rather than a full 5 stars.  If you love fantasy/horror with a good mix of humor or have a middle school aged reader who would enjoy that sort of fantasy, I do recommend checking out Quincy's Curse. If you would like to pick up a copy of your own and review it, you would also be helping to promote an indie author, as Keith Robinson independently publishes all his own work. By clicking on the book title you will be taken directly to Amazon where you can purchase a copy both as a digital Kindle or a print paperback edition.

Stay tuned for my next review in a couple of weeks. I'll be reviewing the first in a five book series by another independently published author, Alisha Klapheke, from her Dragons Rising series. Check out the blurb and book cover below for Fate of Dragons, both copied from Amazon.

Image copied from Amazon

The world will drown beneath the waves…only the last mage can stop it.

Vahly, the last mage, is the world’s biggest disappointment. Raised by the dragons, she was born to become the magical Earth Queen, the only one who can stop the Sea Queen’s mad plan to drown everything in existence.

But there’s one problem: Vahly possesses no magic whatsoever.

The oceans begin to rise, limiting the dragons’ hunting grounds and fouling their water supply, endangering their very home. Vahly can’t let the dragons she calls family die under the Sea Queen’s magic, so as a last hope, she journeys to a legendary arcane library in search of answers.

When she discovers an ancient scroll about a ritual conducted deep in the homeland of the elves, she gathers her dragon allies to find the king of that great, forest-dwelling race.

Before she reaches that kingdom, she finds a handsome elven royal cloaked in dark magic, twisted and powerful. Arcturus. His memory has holes he can’t explain, and when they learn his king is in league with the Sea Queen, Vahly and Arcturus must band together to defeat the elven king and to gain access to the secrets of Vahly’s unique magic before the ocean swallows the dragons’ homeland.

***The Dragons Rising series is appropriate for all ages.

***Written in the same world as Enchanting the Elven Mage, Kingdoms of Lore Book One

Fast-Paced Romantasy Based on Chinese Mythology

 

Image copied from NetGalley

The Scorpion and the Night Blossom very much reminded me of an epic fantasy version of The Hunger Games meets Demon Slayer. Main character Àn’yīng is determined to learn to be a practitioner of magic and fighting so that she can save her younger sister and mother. In order to master these skills she must win a series of trials. The reason Àn’yīng must battle to save her remaining family is because a hoard of demons has invaded the mortal realm and is killing off humans by feeding on their souls. One such demon killed Àn’yīng's father and partially fed off her mother, who is alive but in a catatonic state. If Àn’yīng can win the trials and be one of the few candidates to make it to the end of them, she can gain a pill of immortality that will help restore her mother's life energy. These aspects of the plot very much reminded me of Katniss and her motivations for going to the capitol to compete in her sister's place. In this novel, Àn’yīng is the hunter, protector who her father chose to train as a fighter before his death.

Unlike The Hunger Games, more than one candidate can win at these trials and in between each one, the candidates are not allowed to kill one another. All bets are off though, in the midst of the actual competitions themselves. However, the bloodshed isn't as gratuitous as what Katniss faced and the trials are interesting as they test a different aspect of a potential warrior with each one. For instance, virtues like strength, courage, and fortitude are each components looked for by the immortals who host the trials in the mortal warrior practitioners they award a chance at immortality. In this way, the story reminded me of the training Tanjiro, from Demon Slayer, must go through and the tests he must pass in order to join the Demon Slayer Corp. Though, Àn’yīng is much more distrustful and closed off than Tanjiro. One of her flaws at the start of the novel is that she is also bigoted against those who are half human and half something else. She experiences some important character growth though as she learns that the fear and racist stereotypes that she'd been raised to believe were not only wrong but are wildly cruel and unethical. A plot twist later on in the book also creates some very believable tension and conflict between her and another character as well.

In terms of what I liked about this book, I really enjoyed the worldbuilding and the story's overall pacing. The first chapter opens with Àn’yīng collecting a special type of flower to treat her mother with, to keep her alive a little longer. Unfortunately, Àn’yīng comes across a demon and has to fight it in order to collect the precious blossoms she needs. Right away we get to see how tough and clever Àn’yīng is and how skilled she is with her crescent blade daggers. I also like the mysteries that are introduced as story threads at the very beginning. We don't know why Àn’yīng's family was attacked not by just any demon, but one of the Higher Ones, the equivalent of demon nobility. We also don't know why her father decided to train her to be a fighter when the Kingdom of Night, the demon realm, decided to invade the Kingdom of Rivers, the mortal realm. The only reason that Àn’yīng can come up with is that she was four years older than her younger sister and so, the more logical choice. Though, Àn’yīng still questions why her father did not allow her younger sister to do some training with them both, too. The other mystery we are introduced to early on is the meaning behind Àn’yīng's name. She is named for a cherry blossom, but the tree outside her house is a plum tree. These mysteries and the perils Àn’yīng must face to even get to the Kingdom of Sky and the immortal realm, where the trials will be held, kept me reading and turning the page. As for the romance aspect, I found the enemies-to-lovers trope to be tension filled and believable from Àn’yīng's perspective. I wasn't really sure I understood Yù’chén, the love interest's, motivations throughout most of the story though.

That brings me to some of the things that could have been better about the book. First, even though Àn’yīng is introduced right away as a strong and fierce fighter who is clever enough to outsmart demons, she still seems to be in need of rescuing several times throughout the story. It is one thing to have her ally herself with some stronger and more well-trained candidates to get through the trials. But I didn't feel that the partnership between her and some of the secondary characters was always equal. It seemed that Àn’yīng often got more from her alliances than she contributed. I also agree with some others who have said that the character development for some of the secondary characters was a bit lacking. One in particular that ends up playing a pivotal role in the story for Àn’yīng is very underdeveloped in terms of their arc and their interactions with her. For this reason, I found it hard to be invested in them or Àn’yīng's connection to them even after we find out how they are linked to her in the story. I also found the ending to be a bit rushed and some of the clues that were imbedded in the story to hint at the twist at the end could have been fleshed out more to make it more impactful when Àn’yīng finally gets the answers she's been searching for since arriving at the Temple of Dawn in the immortal realm.

Overall, I gave this a 4 out of 5 star rating because I did like the main character of Àn’yīng. She is fierce, brave, and clever but also flawed and closed off to everyone but her sister at the start of the novel. I also thought the worldbuilding and the way the trials were developed that Àn’yīng and the others have to face and overcome were interesting and original. The pacing for most of the novel was quick and Àn’yīng had relatable and compelling motivations for competing in the trials and for wanting to win no matter the danger or the cost. I did like the love interest of Yù’chén, even though I didn't always understand his motivations for his actions throughout the book. I did find the tension between him and Àn’yīng to be believable and spicy. I am interested enough in the story to want to see how things might turn out for Àn’yīng and her family in the sequel. I want to thank NetGalley, Random House Children's and Delacorte Press for offering me a chance to read an eARC of this novel in exchange for this honest review. You will be able to purchase your own copy of this novel wherever books are sold March 4, 2025.

My next book review will be of Quincy's Curse by Keith Robinson, an author I had to good fortune of meeting in person at the ConNooga book/theatre/film/anime con this past February. The blurb and cover image for the book below are copied from Goodreads.

Quincy Flack is cursed with terrible luck. After losing his parents and later his uncle and aunt in a series of freak accidents, it's no wonder he's reluctant to make friends.

For that reason, Megan Mugwood is a little worried about befriending him when he moves into the village of Ramshackle Bottom. But word has it that incredibly good fortune shines on him sometimes too. Indeed, it turns out that he found a bag of valuable treasure in the woods just a few months ago!

As luck would have it, Megan has chosen the worst possible time to be around him.

Image copied from Goodreads

In the cold winter months when the days are short and the nights are long, I often find myself drawn to books that offer romance and a cozy setting of some sort. In the midst of all the division and upheaval going on in the real world, disappearing into a cozy fantasy, for me, seems like the perfect escape. I was not at all disappointed in this latest cozy fantasy, The Spellshop, that I found by an author who is new to me, Sarah Beth Durst. Like the synopsis implies, this novel is a Hallmark version of a fantasy read and contains many of the same tropes, nosey, mostly well-meaning neighbors, a big city girl returning to small town life to start over, and a handsome and kind love interest. The spice level is also low similar to other cozy reads and also Hallmark movies.

All of this is incorporated into a story that also has a magical island as its story setting, flying cats, merhorses, and cloud bears to name a few magical and mythical creatures. The inhabitants of the town aren't all human either. From the moment main character Kiela escapes from the capital city after it falls into chaos from a bloody rebellion, we get to rediscover the magical island where she was born and the sweet cottage that still holds so many poignant reminders of her beloved parents along with Kiela. Many reviews of this book have mentioned that Kiela is an unlikeable main character. But to me she just seemed like an inordinately shy person who, as a librarian who lived and worked in the great magical library in the capitol city, did not have to develop social skills. Her being an only child with her parents as her only family in the capitol city, where they all settled when Kiela was very young, also played into her lack of social skills. Once they passed away, Kiela had no other motivation to leave the library. Instead, she is content to live and work there amongst the books she loves with her library assistant, a talking spider plant named Caz, as her only companion. (It must be said, I loved Caz her best friend!) Most introverts like Kiela could get a little rusty at interacting with others in a situation like that where they could easily retreat from the outside world. Add to that the fact that in leaving the city after the library is set ablaze by the rebellion, she makes off with several of the magical books she was a caretaker of, an act that if discovered by the magical police of the empire could cost her her life and Kiela's distrust of others is very plausible. Anyone in Kiela's position would be leery about who they could trust under those circumstances. All of this is to say that these things make Kiela complicated more than straight up unlikeable. 

I also loved her next-door neighbor, Larran. Part of this might have been because he is so helpful in a practical sense. The other reason might be because he raises merhorses. Handsome neighbor willing to build someone floor-to-ceiling bookshelves to repay a past kindness and who raises merhorses too, yes please. Negatives mentioned about this relationship were that some felt that Larran experiences insta-love for Kiela. Again, I would argue that their past history and Larran's crush that he has harbored all of these years might have more to do with his instant attraction to her than actual insta-love. I could buy into his interest in her under those circumstances. His past history, which I won't spoil here, could also make him more empathetic to her as a shy person who finds it hard to trust others as well. I will say that aside from the books and the magic that Kiela explores and learns to use for the betterment of the island, there isn't a whole lot that takes place for a few chapters there in the middle. That is a fair point in the cons list for this story. But that seems to be a part of the worldbuilding and plotline for the cozy fantasy genre in general. The conflict seems to be more internal for much of the book as the character learns to settle into their new place and new business and the external conflicts that come later are all usually neatly handled and wrapped up at the end with the help of the main character's newfound community and friends. I will say though that Kiela does a lot to help her found family in the book to warrant the aid given to her later in the story. Nevertheless, Kiela doesn't lack agency at the end. In fact, she is very clever at finding ways to save her friends, her books, and her new life in her own right. 

The Spellshop is a fun and light-hearted read, with a main character that is distrustful and prickly in the beginning, but who under her awkward exterior has a kind and generous heart. It does a very good job of weaving in some conflicts and perils that deal with hoarding resources by a few, issues with climate change, or in this case magical climate change, child abuse, and human environmental misdeeds that cause nature and animals to suffer. The fact that the magic used in this novel is nature based makes these perils an organic part of the plot and also adds some justification for a librarian stealing her books from an empire overthrown as a result of this resource hoarding in order to protect the knowledge contained in said books for future generations. All in all I found this to be a thoroughly enjoyable read and a nice escape. If you love fantasy that also contains many Hallmark vibes in its plot, then you will likely love The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst.

Next month, my first book review will be of YA epic fantasy, The Scorpion and the Night Blossom by Amélie Wen Zhao. Check out the blurb and book cover for it below, both copied from NetGalley.

In a world at war with demons, one girl will face the ultimate test when she is forced to enter into an ancient, deadly competition for the chance to save her mother's soul… before she loses her forever. From the New York Times bestselling author of Song of Silver, Flame Like Night comes the beginning of a dark and opulent fantasy duology, perfect for fans of Throne of Glass.

Nine years ago, the war between the Kingdom of Night and the Kingdom of Rivers tore Àn’yīng’s family apart, leaving her mother barely alive and a baby sister to fend for. Now the mortal realm is falling into eternal night, and mó—beautiful, ravenous demons—roam the land, feasting on the flesh of humans and drinking their souls.

Àn’yīng is no longer a helpless child, though. Armed with her crescent blades and trained in the ancient art of practitioning, she has decided to enter the Immortality Trials, which are open to any mortal who can survive the journey to the immortal realm. Those who complete the Trials are granted a pill of eternal life—the one thing Àn’yīng knows can heal her dying mother. But to attain the prize, she must survive the competition.

Death is common in the Trials. Yet oddly, Àn’yīng finds that someone is helping her stay alive. A rival contestant. Powerful and handsome, Yù’chén is as secretive about his past as he is about his motives for protecting Àn’yīng.

The longer she survives the Trials, the clearer it becomes that all is not right in the immortal realm. To save her mother and herself, Àn’yīng will need to figure out whether she can truly trust the stranger she’s falling for or if he’s the most dangerous player of all . . . for herself and for all the realms. 

Why Amari Peters is Even More Magical Than Percy Jackson

Image copied from Goodreads

Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston is one of the best fantasy adventures I've read in a quite awhile. Reading it was the perfect way to kick off black history month. She's a heroine that I wish had been out when my kids were middle grade readers. Her story bears some resemblance to the well-known Percy Jackson series in that Amari is from a single parent home, she struggles to fit in, and she's discovers a world full of supernatural adventure while attending summer camp.

But that is where the similarities end. Unlike Percy, Amari has an older brother she's always idolized. Despite the large age gap between them, Quinton always loved his little sis and did everything he could to look out for her. He paved the way for her to attend the same exclusive private school he went to and graduated from, though Amari worked hard to make the good grades needed to be awarded the same scholarship as her brother. And even though he has been missing for six months with no trace, Quinton is still looking after her, having left her a nomination for attendance at the same summer camp he went to when he was twelve. But despite how much she looks up to him, Amari has also always felt overshadowed by Quinton and is convinced that she doesn't quite measure up to him. 

The fact that Amari is bullied at school and doesn't seem to be able to make friends with anyone at Jefferson Academy seem to just prove her right. When Quinton's disappearance gives Amari's bullies more ammunition to taunt her she finally fights back, shoving the ringleader of the mean girls picking on her, which costs Amari her scholarship. But summer vacation takes a turn for the better when a mysterious briefcase delivered to Amari from Quinton offers her a nomination to attend summer camp with The Bureau of Supernatural Affairs. From there we are swept up into a magical world of magic and adventure.

I could not put this book down from the first page. Amari leaps off the page as a real and relatable character right from the start as she explains why she's in the principal's office, yet again. The pacing of the story also never lets up, with short chapters full of some new challenge or new discovery for Amari that keep you wanting to turn the page to see what will happen next. Alston builds a truly imaginative and fun, yet dangerous world for Amari to discover once she accepts the summons of the briefcase, sure that if she goes to the Bureau it will help her figure out what happened to her brother. Upon opening the case, Amari is shown wonders she never imagined with the aid of a pair of magical sunglasses. Special eye drops the instructions in the briefcase tell her to dose herself with also help her to see past glamours and reveal that supernatural beings live all around her, even in her own housing project. The nosy, mean neighbor her mother has always gotten to "keep an eye" on Amari might actually be a green complexioned witch. One who disappears in a cloud of smoke when Amari questions her about it. On the car ride to her first day at summer camp, Amari spots werewolves, and a pair of glowing eyes in a dark alley. Once they arrive at the Vanderbilt Hotel where the camp is taking place, Amari is whisked, in a talking elevator, to a labyrinthine compound below the hotel. Her roommate she ends up with is a weredragon and Amari finds herself immediately in the spotlight because her brother Quinton was part of a famous duo of investigative agents for the Bureau. This doesn't give Amari an advantage, though. It leaves her with yet more to live up to and the nomination doesn't guarantee her a spot at the camp. Amari will still have to earn it by passing a series of challenges, which will be harder for her since she is one of the few kids nominated who hasn't grown up knowing that magic exists. Of course things take an even more perplexing turn for Amari when she discovers that her "gift" that most students have supernaturally enhanced the first day of camp is actually a power that is illegal. In fact, Amari is someone that shouldn't even exist according to the Bureau. A circumstance that causes most at the Bureau and those associated with it, to be suspicious and distrustful of Amari, making it even more of a challenge to secure her place among them. 

In spite of these setbacks, Amari is determined to prove that she isn't in danger of turning into the evildoer everyone is convinced she will and fights to become a junior agent so that she can do what no one else has--find Quinton. Amari Peters is an underdog that readers can easily root for and her story is a fast-paced, imaginative adventure to rival any of popular series that have come before. It also handles topics such as not judging someone on where they come from, how they look, or for being unique in someway in ways that young readers can easily identify and empathize with. I found Amari's story to be even more magical and fun to read than Percy's and I loved the Percy Jackson series. I highly recommend this series by B.B. Alston to anyone in the middle grade reader age group who loves fantasy adventures or for anyone young at heart who enjoyed Percy Jackson or similar fantasy series. 

As for the next review for February, I'll be discussing cozy fantasy, The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst. Check out the book cover and blurb, copied from Goodreads, below.

The Spellshop is Sarah Beth Durst’s romantasy debut–a lush cottagecore tale full of stolen spellbooks, unexpected friendships, sweet jams, and even sweeter love.

Kiela has always had trouble dealing with people. Thankfully, as a librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, she and her assistant, Caz—a magically sentient spider plant—have spent the last decade sequestered among the empire’s most precious spellbooks, preserving their magic for the city’s elite.

When a revolution begins and the library goes up in flames, she and Caz flee with all the spellbooks they can carry and head to a remote island Kiela never thought she’d see again: her childhood home. Taking refuge there, Kiela discovers, much to her dismay, a nosy—and very handsome—neighbor who can’t take a hint and keeps showing up day after day to make sure she’s fed and to help fix up her new home.

In need of income, Kiela identifies something that even the bakery in town doesn’t have: jam. With the help of an old recipe book her parents left her and a bit of illegal magic, her cottage garden is soon covered in ripe berries.

But magic can do more than make life a little sweeter, so Kiela risks the consequences of using unsanctioned spells and opens the island’s first-ever and much needed secret spellshop.

Like a Hallmark rom-com full of mythical creatures and fueled by cinnamon rolls and magic, The Spellshop will heal your heart and feed your soul.