All the Hidden Paths is the excellent sequel to A Strange and Stubborn Endurance. A key theme in this sequel is what happens after you come out and how your life may change after this. Vel is dealing with the trauma of past experiences and must decide what he wants out of his relationship with Cae. Meanwhile, Cae must make important political choices while dealing with complicated grief. The lack of communication was rough at times, but it was because I love the characters so much! You want to scream at them to just go to each other and talk it out. Of course, that’d be much too easy. Learning better communication and gaining political prowess are key themes for Vel and Cae. 

This sequel focuses on traveling for a good portion of it, which leads Cae and Vel into many misadventures. I enjoyed the detailed world-building and seeing how politics differed throughout the world. Markel is one of my favorite characters. Not only is it great to see sign language and muteness in fantasy, he is also very smart and routinely saves Vel and Cae from their own stupidity. I appreciated how Markel manipulates assumptions people make about him to his benefit. Qiqa is a delightfully clever new character. I loved Qiqa’s dramatic solution to a perilous political dinner. All the Hidden Paths is a high fantasy with complex politics, found family, fantastic LGBTQ+ rep, and heartwarming characters. I hope to see more stories from this world!

Thank you to Foz Meadows, Tor Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White is the thrilling and cinematic sequel to Song of Silver, Flame Like Night. Lan and Zen parted ways after Zen made an unimaginable choice. Now with the immense power of a Demon God at his side, Zen is fated to pay a terrible price. As Lan, Zen, and the colonizers race for the legendary Demon gods, who will ultimately win the battle for the Last Kingdom? 

One of my favorite things about Zhao’s writing is how lyrical her words are. They are stunning and create a beautiful visual picture as you read. Yet, the pacing never falters and the focus of the story remains strong. One of my favorite tropes is when magic requires a price, which the Demon Gods definitely do. Zen had a very compelling character arc that I was very invested in. He is a good person who is willing to make immense sacrifices for his people, including deals with demons and accessing forbidden power. 

Zhao’s fight scenes always contain a delightful multitude of layers. One of my favorite fight scenes is between Lan and Zen- two people who love each other, but are on opposite sides. The tension and chemistry between them was amazing! The worldbuilding is very detailed and vivid. I really appreciated how Zhao portrays grief and how to continue to live after loss. Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White is an excellent and bittersweet conclusion to this duology. I can’t wait to see what Amélie Wen Zhao writes next! 

Thank you to Amélie Wen Zhao, Delacorte Press, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

Mislaid in Parts Half-Known is the latest fantastic installment in the Wayward Children series. I absolutely love this series and every new story gives me so much joy! Antsy has made it to Eleanor’s School for Wayward Children, but she struggles to find her place.  Fortunately, she soon starts to connect with Cora, Sumi, Christopher, Emily and Kade. It quickly becomes known that Antsy can find almost anything, and some classmates wonder whether Antsy can find their doors home. To escape, Antsy and her friends flee through a series of doors. 

This series is one of my all-time favorites. It’s magical, joyful, whimsical, with LGBTQ+ rep, and found family. I loved seeing how Antsy was able to return to the Shop. Antsy’s understanding of the doors and ability to find things is so compelling; I couldn’t put this book down! Cora is one of my favorite characters and I was so happy with her arc in this book! I also enjoyed learning more about Kade’s time in Prism, heartbreaking as it was. Amidst the magic, Seanan McGuire makes important points about not continuing cycles of trauma and how important it is to keep looking for what you need, not just what you want. 

Reading any book in this series feels magically transportive, like readers have come through a Door to find themselves perfectly at home. I highly recommend this series to anyone, especially readers who seek imaginative fantasy with a twist and found family. I’m looking forward to seeing whose story Seanan McGuire writes next in this series! 

Thank you to Seanan McGuire, Tor Publishing Group, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

I absolutely loved Cole and Dearie!! They are queer best friends living in a small town that they can’t wait to get out of. When someone in their high school Queer Club starts spreading rumors about them, Dearie feels compelled to investigate. To his horror, a killer who once terrorized San Diego now stalks the halls. Mr. Sandman had a signature move- giving his victims a note that read “your lonely nights are over” before he came for them. The mysterious killer targets lonely people and people who are single. As Cole and Dearie race to unmask the killer, they will be forced to test the bonds of their friendship as they fight to survive. 

Cole is a strong, loyal friend who doesn’t have time for the “Flops” in the local Queer Club. Despite this, when he realizes that the club is being targeted, he works with Dearie to try and save them all. Cole truly has the biggest heart and I loved how he was always there for Dearie. Dearie was so cute!! I appreciated how he had to reckon with the trauma from a previous relationship and use the clues to figure out who the real Mr. Sandman is. Sass creates a tense and fraught atmosphere as the group realizes that Mr. Sandman must be someone who knows them well. 

Adam Sass’ writing is so twisty and compelling. I feel like I can usually call the twists, but this one had me guessing until the end!! I had plenty of suspicions, but the ultimate ending was very satisfying. I loved how realistic, yet lovable the characters felt. There is a strong ensemble cast that helps Dearie and Cole in their investigation. Cole and Dearie’s dialogue is witty, deliciously sarcastic, and heartfelt. Your Lonely Nights Are Over is the perfect queer thriller. I also listened to the audiobook and thought the narrators were excellent. I’m excited to see what Adam Sass writes next!