4.5 ⭐️

Juniper & Thorn is set in the world of Wolf and the Woodsman—albeit a different time and place—and is written with much of the same magic. However, I also found this book to be much more intimate and gritty than its predecessor. The story follows Marlinchen, the youngest of three young witches, and wards of their cruel father, the last wizard in Oblya. When Marlinchen meets and becomes infatuated with a young ballet star, her tenuous lifestyle starts to come apart at the seams,

The reason I say this story is much more intimate than WATW is because Marlinchen is a very confessional narrator, and the reader has a front row seat to all of her darkest thoughts. In some ways I loved this perspective, but it also made every moment of the book feel almost too intense.

The narration is also very visceral, with much of Marlinchen’s experience being described through the body or imagery that invokes the body. The intrusive thoughts she has were so painfully accurate to my own experience, in the way that they almost appear mundane to the person experiencing them. Sometimes it felt a bit heavy handed, but was overall effective and honest and raw.

Marlinchen has a lot of problematic views that she’s been programmed to have through her upbringing. These views are a product of her upbringing and abuse, and they are integral to the character’s journey of healing. As such, most of them are challenged over the course of the book, yet there were a few things that weren’t ever really corrected in relation to sex that I think would have been VERY powerful had they been explored and righted. (Mostly about purity/female pleasure, etc). However, I recognize that as a survivor of abuse, many of these things take years or decades to heal from and overcome, if at all. I myself took a long time to heal and see things differently, and I STILL struggle.

Overall, I think that this book does an incredible job of conveying the horror that accompanies abuse of all kinds. It’s not simple or easy to walk away from, it can be a living nightmare. For me, no book has ever accomplished this so well, and in a whimsical nightmare of a story too (for even the whimsy is tainted by abuse).

It’s painful, difficult, raw. And still, there is hope. There is the promise of healing. There is love, and tenderness, in spite of the terror. That, for me, is the true power of this book—for characters to find unconditional love and acceptance, without demands or sacrifice.


CW/TW (may be spoiler-y)
I think it’s also worth noting that this book covers abuse in pretty much every way imaginable (physical, emotional, sexual, verbal, animal, etc). In my opinion it’s on almost every page of the book. It takes a lot for me to feel triggered but this book came pretty close and a few things were very difficult to read. I still really enjoyed the book, but this was a much different experience than WATW. That book can also be intense, but J&T covered things more directly and is a horror novel about abuse. If you are a survivor, I think there’s so much value in this book, but I encourage you to be in a safe headspace and environment if you read.

3.5/5 Stars
Tldr; a rocky start, but a beautiful story as a whole

When I read the description of this book, and later saw the cover, I was overwhelmed with excitement. I love mythological retelling, and perhaps more, I love Spirited Away (I may or may not have convinced my elementary school friends to join my imaginary Spirit World “LARP” once upon a time.) This was a highly anticipated book for me.

However, it wasn’t quite what I had expected. The book begins in the action, which is often a good thing. However in this case, I think it prevents the reader from having an emotional investment in the story, at least right away.

The action in the first 50% of the book happens so quickly that it’s hard to settle into the atmosphere. Much of the exposition glosses over imagery and instead conveys a lot of things at face value. We’re told what Mina sees or feels, without taking a beat to see and feel her experiences. The same can be said of other characters in the book. And while I don’t believe one must ALWAYS show rather than tell, it’s sparsely deployed, and not always at moments that I felt carried the emotional weight of the story.

Similarly, some of the side characters are difficult to differentiate from one another because their introductions gloss over identifying details, or muddle them. It took me a while to picture Namgi and Kirin with how they were introduced. It’s not until later that I’m able to reconcile their introduction with their personalities/appearances.

The cast of characters is truly a joy, but I found myself craving more of them. More time and attention, to really bring them to life. (Though I will say there were several impactful characters and character moments that made me tear up.)

For the first half of the book, much of the action feels disjointed. Mina is running back and forth between settings abruptly, and it’s not always clear WHY the sequence of events occur the way they do. And a few scenes in particular seem like they’re meant to have a certain gravitas, but fell short because they were over as quickly as they began. I SO wanted more of the Fox Goddess scene, for example.

That being said, I adored the second half of this book. The pacing issues seem to work themselves out, and the characters come alive in the last half. Scenes begin to slow down and have greater impact, and loose ends start to come full circle. At this point, I couldn’t put the book down. I was able to predict a few things, but that actually isn’t an issue for me. I’m more upset when there’s no contextual evidence for the “twists.” Instead, Oh wove a beautiful narrative with threads the reader was meant to pick up and weave together as Mina herself did. I love when this happens, because I feel like im part of the story, on the edge of revelation with the character. Discovering the truth feels cathartic and exciting.

The ending, above all, left me feeling profoundly satisfied with how everything worked out. It was beautiful and masterfully woven.

I also couldn’t help but smile at many of the direct parallels and/or nods to Spirited Away (I even felt like two elements mirrored Princess Mononoke, personally). There were many of them, and I found them comforting, like returning to an old friend.

Despite feeling like the beginning of the book was a bit disjointed, I’m glad for this book and the story it told. I still enjoyed myself, and the last half of the book in particular will stick with me for a long time. If the plot interests you, I do still recommend checking this out!

CW/TW: blood, mild violence, mentions of infant death, talk of death in general (setting is the spirit world, a facet of the afterlife), depictions of despair/depression, expressions of grief

All vibes, no plot. What are the vibes, you ask? I’d describe it as Haunted Cottagecore.

Luckily, I enjoy books that rely more on atmosphere. Schwab just has a beautiful way with words, and the illustrations are gorgeous.

This is a quick read. I think it would work well as a palate cleanser between heavier books, or something to get you in the mood for fall.

I think I read someone say it’s like The Secret Garden meets The Haunting of Bly Manor, and I think that’s a fantastic description.

Really the only thing I could want from this book is more time on the “other side.”

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Edited. In my first draft I accidentally wrote “All plot, no vibes.” I’m screamingggg, why did my worms for brains do me like that??? Anyway, NOT what I meant, the review no reflects what I actually MEANT. Lordt

This was a good road trip read, and I always enjoy this author’s simple, sharp prose.

This book kept me hooked, but I found the description of the book to be a bit misleading, which affected the way I read the book. That’s all I can really say without spoilers. It might also help to know that most of the book is like a slice of island life with some suspense and sinister things sprinkled in. Then everything happens in the last 50 pages. I still had a good time, but it might not be what some are expecting.

(I kept thinking it was like a book version of the movie Old, in terms of pacing and ~vibes~, not plot.)

The clever use of time skips made me feel like a good sleuth, especially as the plot reached critical mass and I pieced it all together. The author made good use of that device to build tension. And the characters were interesting and infuriating (in the way that makes you excited to keep reading).

Ultimately what didn’t stick the landing for me was the very end. I just wish it was different.

I was definitely intrigued by the premise of this book, but as it isn’t what I typically pick up, I didn’t expect to be so hooked. This book was addicting. It was mystery, magic, and heart-warming/wrenching family dynamics. I had to finish the book as quickly as possible because I couldn’t focus on anything else (though not for lack of trying).

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

Hell Followed with Us is the queer, post-apocalyptic horror novel I didn't know I needed. The novel is set a short time after a fundamental Christian group initiated the apocalypse, and began killing in the name of God. They call themselves the "Angels," and believe that their path to heaven lies in the annihilation of all non-believers. The apocalypse began with the Flood, a contagious disease meant to turn people into monsters, rotted from the inside-out. The Angels affectionately refer to these monsters as Graces, and believe them to be their glorious weapon. After all, the Graces aid in their "holy war" to kill anyone who doesn't accept this new world order.

At the heart of it all is a special grace called Seraph. A creation the Angels have made to control all other Graces. The Angels believe that it is Seraph that will lead them to victory and finally secure their place in heaven.

However, the person transforming into Seraph is a young, trans teen named Benji, who isn't sure if he believes in the Angels' cause anymore. When he and his dad make a run for it, tragedy begets a new way of thinking. Benji is taken into the fold of the local LGBT center, where he meets other queer teens like him. Here, he grapples with his upbringing and identity, and ultimately must make a choice.

This book is a brutal and all too familiar narrative for those who have grown up with religious trauma, particularly if you're also queer. Extra points if you also struggle with mental illness. The book is a near-constant barrage of horrifying yet exquisitely intricate body horror that resonated with me and my complicated history with organized religion.

At the heart of it all is a boy who has been abused and mistrated, and doesn't know how to process the complicated feelings of love and betrayal he experiences.

I didn't give the book a full five stars, because I felt like there was still room for improvement. While many books suffer from beginning too early in the story, I feel like this book began too late. We're dropped into a heart breaking scene that doesn't get the proper emotional weight, in my opinion. And while it continues to be referenced throughout the book, I still don't think the impact of the event on Benji's psyche is conveyed as well as it could be.

The plot, too, feels like it could have been expanded in moments of contraction, and contracted in moments of expansion. In other words, sometimes the focus of the story feels misplaced. I would have liked to see more world-building with some of the side characters and plots, too.

There is also autism rep that I feel like is a bit heavy-handed, in my opinion as an autistic person. I adored the character, and much of his characterization I identified with. I just think that when we are first introduced to his POV, the way he talks about his autism is a bit contrived. I personally think it would have been more impactful if it had been introduced in a more nuanced way.

Also, note that while the narrative has many trans characters, the antagonists of the novel are explicitly transphobic for a large portion of the text. Including, but not limited to repeated misgendering and forcing a trans character to wear gendered clothing they don't want to wear. The text does not condone it, but it is present and may be triggering to some.

CW/TW: gore, violence, body horror, teeth pulling, bones breaking, transphobia, religious fundamentalism, religious trauma, dysphoria, abuse, abusive romantic relationships, child abuse (parent to child)...that's all I can think of at the moment, but there may be more. It's a very graphic book, so if that's not your jam, keep that in mind.

I enjoyed this book, but it took about 300 pages to get fully engrossed. The problem, for me, is that the book I written in alternating, dual POVs, and one of the characters/stories is far more compelling than the other. I’d be really excited to read about Rielle, and then Eliana’s chapters just killed my momentum. At about the 300 mark was when Eliana’s story actually got interesting.

I think the dual POV would have worked better had Eliana’s chapters been reduced to the most interesting and essential bits. The chapters that gave us character and plot development. Instead, too much of her story was a journey that didn’t have a lot of significance to the reader until much later. I just didn’t care about her moving from one location to the next for seemingly no reason.

I’m looking forward to the next book, because I still want to give the series a chance. But I definitely need a break before I get into that.

This is such a sweet book. I loved the illustrations and characters, but it would have been awesome to have a bit more on-page world-building and dragon-care.