just…god, these books are all so good. Barnes KNOWS what she’s doing, and she does it so so well. Cold Eternity feels more isolated and sadder maybe than I expected; the protagonist is alone for a lot of this novel, and the core  connection/relationship in this one actually WRECKED ME. I really appreciated the exploration of what it means to do good in a system too large to effectively change on your own, and a lot of the larger worldbuilding and themes felt insanely relevant to the here and now. 

I thought the plot and pacing were both very solid, the tension and spooky levels were HIGH, despite it being such an introspective book, and I loved Halley and the other sympathetic character. I’ll be thinking about the tragedy of that plot line for a LONG time, I think. 

As for the audiobook—Amara Jasper’s narration was lovely. I thought she handled the pacing and tension well and she was easy to listen to. I didn’t notice any editing issues either! I’ll definitely recommend this one to folks. 

And of course, the book in general is going on my list of recommendations for sci-fi horror.

Huge thanks to Tor Nightfire for sending me this arc via netgalley! Happy to offer my honest review of this banger. 

Oh I can hear what trad pub professionals would say about this one from here. Let me explain. 

This book is written in a style that has fallen out of vogue in children’s publishing, and it’s really rare to find by an author that wasn’t  writing it in the 80’s too. This book has the soul of a Tamora Pierce, Gail Carson Levine, and Robin McKinley book all rolled into one. A slightly anxious but fiercely brave girl disguising herself as someone else to follow her dream, and discovering magic, friendship, love, and her own power along the way??? Spectacular. SPECTACULAR. It also does something else I find important: it is writing an older teen (16, in this case), for a YOUNGER audience. This voice is made for the 12-14 year olds, the girls that need girls like Lorel to show them how it’s done. The fact Margaret gave us a trans girl? In this form??? I can’t scream ENOUGH about how vitally important that is. Trans preteens NEED an older girl living as herself and succeeding in their fiction as much as they do in their lives. 

Also, the plot?? Is really fun and engaging?? The side characters are complex and dealing with their own stuff?? The pacing is measured and the prose is clear and active?? 

I think my only gripe is the pace may be marginally too slow? But that’s a tenant of the genre so I don’t even care that much. 

I can’t WAIT to read the rest of these books. 

Spectacular. A gothic and expressive exploration of gay southern love and all-consuming obsession. Feels like a t-shirt sweat-stuck to your back, of dirt and grease under your nails, bleeding gums and weed smoke and that unique southern sensation of fighting to get nowhere fast. Incredible.