booklistqueen's Reviews (634)

 In this final book of the Winternight trilogy, Vasya holds the fate of two worlds in her hands. With Moscow reeling from attack, the blame begins to fall squarely on Vasya. With war threatening and the return of a wicked demon, can Vasya save both Russian and the magical world? Or will she be forced to chose one over the sacrifice of the other?

Arden gives an interesting ending to her Winternight trilogy, showcasing the dichotomy of dark and light in human nature. As in most series, The Winter of the Witch lost a bit of the magic of the earlier books, focusing more on battles between forces. Yet, overall the series ended strong, keeping letting Vasya grow while still keeping her a fierce female protagonist. 

 In the sequel to The Bear and the Nightingale, after being branded a witch, Vasya has left home dressed as a boy to seek adventure with the help of the Frost Demon, Morozko. When a chance encounter with bandits leads Vasya into the graces of the Grand Prince of Moscow, Vasya is reunited with her older brother and sister. Caught up in the political intrigues and with a growing threat to Russia, Vasya and her family must continue to deceive everyone about her true identity.

I immediately fell in love with Katherine Arden gorgeous historical fantasy series, and the enchanting writing continues in the sequel. Not only does The Girl in the Tower give you an unputdownable story, but also layers in a complex discussion of gender roles and expectations and explores a romance between Vasya and Morozko. 

 In medieval Russia, Vasya and her family live in the far north, where winter lasts most of the year. She loves to hear tales of spirits who live that protect their home from evil, especially of the Frost Demon. When Vasya's mother dies and her father remarries, her stepmother forbids the pagan practices, the tweaked household spirits cannot protect them from a growing evil.

I was completely drawn into Katherine Arden's imaginative historical fantasy series describing the conflict between Christianity and paganism in 1300s Russia. Arden beautifully blends folklore with an unforgettable atmospheric fantasy and gives a vibrant female heroine for you to fall in love with. 

Unpopular at his current school, Miles Halter is ready for adventure when he attends a private boarding school in Alabama. Immediately Miles is nicknamed Pudge and falls head over heels for Alaska Young, a gorgeous, sexy prankster whose reckless behavior changes all their lives forever.

To be honest, I spent the entire first half of Looking for Alaska rolling my eyes at Green's unrealistic fantasy version of the “cool girl,” who feels more of a stereotype than a reality. Although I hated how Green glorifies teen smoking, the twist at the mid-point at least steered the book toward a thoughtful discussion of the consequences of recklessness.

 In a Florida already wracked by climate change, Frida gives birth to baby Wanda in the midst of a deadly hurricane. As the world continues to disintegrate, Wanda grows and adapts to an ever-changing world. Living in a community abandoned by society, Wanda seeks adventure, community, and love in a place remade by nature.

You would expect nothing less than gorgeous writing from Lilly Brooks-Dalton, author of Good Morning, Midnight. Her lyrical prose gives an added force to climate fiction, painting the end of the world with such beauty you can't look away. The Light Pirate starts with a compelling section about the hurricane surrounding Wanda's birth, and you are immediately drawn into the family's struggles. As Wanda grows, you are drawing in as the world that we know vanishes, replaced by a wild future.

 In 1985, Yale Tishman is set to acquire a treasure trove of artwork for the Chicago art gallery where he works. When his friend Nico dies of AIDS, Yale watches as all his best friends begin dying and his relationship with his boyfriend Charlie begins to deteriorate, leaving Nico's sister Fiona as the only friend left. Flash forward to 1985, when Fiona is in Paris trying to find her daughter and coming to grips with how AIDS has altered her life.

Makkai's brilliant writing brought the AIDS epidemic to life for me as your heart breaks reading about Yale struggling as his friends die and worrying about contracting the virus. The modern chapters about Fiona weren't as compelling for me, but, in the end, they did have an integral message, showcasing how trauma can have repercussions that last generations. 

 In 1981, a death at the grandest mansion in Savannah provokes the question: Was it murder or self-defense? The shooting sends a tidal wave through Savannah whose effects are still visible a decade later. With a colorful cast of characters, you'll hardly believe this narrative nonfiction story isn't a novel.

John Berendt's bestseller spent 216 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list, probably for its almost unbelievably quirky characters: a drag queen, a voodoo priestess, a charming swindler, and a murderous(?) antique dealer. Although the murder gave the story a focus, you read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil for its eccentric look at humanity and not for its murder mystery. 

 The strong-willed daughter of Korean immigrants, Casey Han is determined to have the glamorous Manhattan lifestyle that she can't afford, even with her Princeton degree. With ever-increasing debt, Casey seizes on any opportunity to make a space for herself in a world of privilege, yet she constantly feels the strain of living above her means.

First, you should know that Free Food for Millionaires is excessively long. The 600-page count feels more worthy of a WWII epic like Pachinko rather than six years in wealthy Manhattan. The story was interesting, if not exactly gripping, with plenty of discussions on race, class, and sex. The characters were severely flawed, but not endearingly so, making them hard to love and often making the novel hard to read. 

 Ayesha at Last is a Muslim Pride and Prejudice retelling set in modern-day Canada, that is more inspired by Pride and Prejudice instead of being an exact retelling.  A devout Muslim girl, Ayesha has given up her dreams of being a poet to become a teacher with a dependable salary. Although her cousin Hafsa is meeting potential suitors for an arranged marriage, Ayesha would rather find love on her own terms. When she meets the handsome but conservative Khalid, she is caught off guard by his sharp wit and his judgmental attitude.

I thought Ayesha at Last worked great as a love story, as you instantly fall in love with both strong Ayseha and gentle Khalid. Although I didn't like that some of the side characters were stereotypically one-dimensional, I thought Jalaluddin did an excellent job portraying what it is like being both modern and conservative, reminding you that observant doesn't equal backwards or oppressed. 

 Alma Katsu tells a fictional account of the real-life Donner Party but with a supernatural twist. As the pioneer company makes its way across the Great Plains to California, they are plagued by hardships as a sinister force seems to be brewing. With supplies running low and members disappearing, the group begins to wonder if evil has been residing among them all along. I was skeptical about adding a horror angle to a true tale, and though it was obviously a bit loose with historical accuracy, the overwhelming sense of dread made for a fun read.