Sorrowland is a dark, haunting reflection on American history and the country’s repeated abuse of Black bodies.

We follow Vern, a pregnant teenager who has fled the religious compound where she was raised and her abusive husband who leads the cult. She gives birth to twins in the forest, intending to raise them far away from the influence of society. But Vern is infected, and she begins to morph into something far beyond her understanding; a violent and powerful rebirth. 

The writing has a beautiful, chilling, lyrical quality. Solomon writes with a righteous rage – the plot is unapologetic and damning. So many elements are explored: rebellion and government manipulation and experimentation using Black and indigenous bodies and queer acceptance and love.

It’s dark and weird and often difficult to press on. I sometimes felt a little lost, but was always entranced. I think you as a reader simply have to embrace the surrealism and surrender to the flow of the story. And the descriptions of Vern’s transformation and that body horror element … absolutely riveting.

The reflections on gender and sexuality were particularly poignant and engaging. 

The story was so complex and deep that I’m already looking forward to a reread - and to letting this one sink in even more.

CW: death, murder, body horror, child death, animal death, violence, self harm, gun violence, psychosis, hallucinations, drowning, racism, sexual assault, pedophilia, medical experimentation, religious bigotry, homophobia, emotional abuse, physical abuse, torture, sexual content

Let me start off by saying that this book is really dark & intense (no surprise if you’ve read other works by Karin Slaughter). I usually place content warnings at the end of my reviews, but I’m going to lead with them here. Please be safe engaging with this book and even with its reviews.

CW: graphic child rape, pedophilia, murder, deaths, gun violence, suicide, school shooting, grief, police brutality, racism, ableism, transphobia, misgendering, deadnaming, execution (death penalty), arson, being buried alive, extreme bullying, miscarriages, chronic illness, cheating

We follow Charlie & Sam, sisters who have become estranged decades after a traumatizing event at their family’s farmhouse. Their father Rusty is a lawyer who defends folks nobody else is willing to touch. Though he was the target, the girls’ mother Gamma is murdered, Sam is shot in the head, and the sisters’ childhood is effectively over. In the present day, Charlie has just witnessed a school shooting. The two sisters are brought back together and forced to unpack their trauma as new memories come to light and they attempt to keep the teenage shooter away from death row. 

Slaughter is a really talented writer. She has delightfully clever turns-of-phrase, her plotting is thoughtful (maybe not REALISTIC but hey, I’m here for a thrilling ride), and her characters are well-developed. The tension and dark atmosphere were horrifyingly present. I stayed up through the night to finish this one!

This book is lingering within the gray areas of ethics and morality. What are “just” consequences? Who deserves forgiveness? 

The characters were so complex and interesting. Not necessarily likable, but believably flawed and quite unique. I honestly cared more about the characters and their journeys than the two mystery setups (1. what really happened at the farmhouse and 2. what really happened at the middle school). There are a lot of flashbacks sprinkled throughout the novel, and I appreciated the chance to do little deep dives into the decades between the farmhouse incident and present day.

There is a trans character whose representation was not always handled well - we’re in rural Georgia, so yeah, I get it I guess. For the most part, this character was referred to with her correct name and pronouns and her gender and identity were normalized by our main characters. But the deadnaming and incorrect pronoun usage and “how did we miss this as kids” and “manly” physical feature descriptions all from our “progressive” main characters were off-putting. And the fact that she is trans is used as a bit of a “twist” which is - ew. I think Slaughter had good intentions around including this character, but I don’t believe she consulted with a single trans person.

Uncomfortable language is also used around a disabled character. But this was paired with some more thoughtful disability representation around one of the main POVs. 

The twists were mostly enjoyable if not a little predictable. There’s a recurring bit where we are taken back to the prologue scene (the farmhouse incident) and new details are added - these are quite graphic and I encourage you to check the content warnings at the top of the review. 

I didn’t care for some of the messaging around living with trauma & also was a tad disappointed at the resolution around Ben & Charlie’s marriage. Ben’s characterization in general was also one of the weaker links for me.

The Sunbearer Trials is a vibrant, imaginative young adult fantasy with playful teenage wit and heartfelt storylines. 

Once every ten years, a new Sunbearer must be crowned in order to fuel Sol’s Sun Stones, magical containers of power that ward off the evil Obsidian gods. Ten teenage semidioses are selected by Sol to compete in The Sunbearer Trials; the winner becomes Sunbearer and the child who ends up in last place becomes an honorable sacrifice. 

Teo is a Jade semidios (son of Quetzal, the goddess of birds) and has never worried about the Trials - generally, only the most impressive Gold semidios heroes are selected. He’s ready to cheer on his best friend Niya and hope for the best. But unexpectedly, two Jade teenagers are chosen for this year’s competition … and Teo suddenly has to fight for his life.

The stakes are very high (we’re of course gearing up to the end of the tournament - a sacrifice of the lowest-ranked competitor), but the book generally feels light-hearted and not too intense. 

The world is inclusive and queernormative in a way that is so comforting + welcoming to young readers. There’s gender and sexuality fluidity across all the characters, from mortals to the gods themselves. And yet Thomas still covers topics like discovering your identity + gender dysphoria  - they’re just discussed within different boundaries (ie. at the start of the book, Teo binds his wings and feels like they are not part of him because they have traditionally “feminine” colorings). I’m SO excited for young readers who may be on their own journeys discovering their identities to experience this writing and feel held and safe. Additional representation includes a deaf character that is a fellow competitor in the Trials.

I found it to be a refreshing take on a concept (gods and their children) that we’ve seen explored in young adult fantasy before. The setup of each dios and semidios and family unit and how gods interacted with mortals felt delightfully new and engaging. While The Sunbearer Trials is Mexican-inspired, Thomas came up with a brand new, very fleshed-out creation story and lineup of dioses. The world-building was SO well done; intricate and creative but very easy to follow. 

The descriptive language - of the people and cities and outfits and challenges - was riveting and transformative. Everything came to life before my eyes. I could easily see this as a movie; a show; an immersive theme park world. It was so rich!! I want alllll the art of this. 

Teo is a great lead, even when you want to shout at him through the page. He’s age-appropriately frustrating but also incredibly endearing. He’s a very easy person to root for and I can’t wait for his journey to continue during the following books.

In general, I adored how personal and fleshed-out EVERY character was - even when I disliked their actions. There’s also some great development around classism and bringing the “Heroes” down to reality // exploring their flaws and challenges.

I also think this is one of the better-paced YA books I’ve read in a while. The action was fast & engaging, and between the more intense scenes were just the right amount of light-hearted, character-driven moments. I simply couldn’t put this one down. 

The tone of the book is quite modern, but with fantastical alternative takes on social media and memes and turns of phrase. Sometimes this was too much for me (it felt like it was trying a bit too hard; and why SO many 2022ish references?) - I don’t know if teenage readers will also roll their eyes or laugh & love them.

But overall ... this was truly excellent. I don’t remember the last time I felt THIS excited about a fantasy world. I’m so excited for the rest of the world to experience The Sunbearer Trials.

PS. I LOVED the “hero cards” included both within the plot of the book and on the author’s website: it was a fun added layer to the experience. I want physical versions!

(I received an advanced reader copy of this book; this is my honest review.)

CW: death, murder, injury, blood, violence, bullying, dysphoria, emotional abuse, child abuse, child death, physical abuse, fire, classism

The Women Could Fly is un unsettling novel set in a dystopian world where magic is real - so naturally, it’s treated as fearsome & unholy and used to oppress & control women, especially queer women of color.

We follow Jo, an almost-28-year-old woman who is questioning her place in the world and her ability to live freely. Her age is pretty crucial; women are mandated to marry by the time they are 30 or submit to constant monitoring by the Bureau of Witchcraft. But how can you fall in love with this pressure of freedom? How can you be sure that your relationship is real? How is it possible to care for someone who ultimately has full power over you - and not let that care turn into toxicity or resentment? 

Jo doesn’t want to give up her life, but the odds are stacked against her: her mother is absent, she’s bisexual, she’s Black, and she expresses her opinions (with wit!).

Jo’s mother disappeared fourteen years ago. She’s struggling with the grief of that loss, an uncomfortably distanced relationship with her (white) father, and anger with her mother both for leaving her alone and for subjecting her to the whims of the government. When women - especially women of color - disappear, that’s flagged as possible witchcraft. And after her mother’s disappearance,  Jo (as a young Black woman) is now constantly treated with suspicion due to her proximity to a “likely witch”. 

But now, Jo is agonizingly ready to move forward. When she decides to declare her mother as legally dead, she uncovers a will with a promising amount of money – she just has to take an unusual trip with some even more unusual stipulations in order to claim her inheritance.

In this world, any sort of female autonomy is an act of defiance. Jo is seeking agency that the world believes is inherently dangerous (and that she simply doesn’t deserve). The oppressors in this book speak with rage-inducing racist, homophobic, sexist, etc. rhetoric that will unfortunately feel deeply familiar. It’s the same nonsense that those in power always utilize to stay in control. So while the speculative elements of the story are heightened and imaginative, it feels VERY real. (An interesting aspect of the novel is that Jo’s mother believes that witches aren’t real; that magic is simply a useful tool to oppress anyone who threatens the current way of life.)

The story is slow-paced, and Giddings’ worldbuilding feels a bit purposefully vague. You’ll read a lot of contradictions (maybe intentional and maybe not); it “makes sense” because it is inherently nonsensical, but don’t expect to have a clear picture of this culture. The sequence of events is also very choppy at times. The Women Could Fly interrogates a lot of topics, and encourages you - the reader - to engage thoughtfully with the questions it poses. 

Let me be very clear - this book may not be for you. I adored Giddings’ first book, Lakewood, and if you did as well you’ll have a better idea of what to expect here. The content is incredibly rich, but it is slow and confusing. If you’re someone who enjoys reading in book clubs or discussing media with others (especially involving social commentary) this would be a perfect choice. 

People fear what they don’t understand. They are especially afraid when something new may threaten their power; they have a desperate need for control. The Women Could Fly explores this conflict in a new & interesting way.

Ultimately, I found this book captivating & challenging & upsettingly prescient. 

CW: racism, misogyny, sexism, homophobia/biphobia, abandonment, forced institutionalization, grief, suicidal thoughts, police brutality, death of a parent, vomit, animal blood/gore, animal death

A Broken Blade was a playful yet powerful start to a fantasy series! I love the Booktok love. :)
 
Keera is an assassin working for the crown; and as the Blade she is the most talented spy in the kingdom. When a mysterious figure called the Shadow starts making moves against the King, he becomes Keera’s next target. But things aren’t as they seem, and Keera starts to question her loyalty and who her enemy truly is.
 
This is a first person narration, and Keera is a very compelling, morally gray protagonist. As an orphaned Halfling (half elf and half human), she has no rights and is “owned” by the Crown. She’s constantly torn between her own survival, trying to help her fellow oppressed people, and bitter self loathing. Keera struggles with alcoholism, and I thought this aspect of the story was written with care.
 
I enjoyed Keera’s journey and her character development. Without sharing spoilers, she learns how to let others in and stand up for her people - something she was unable to do before, without the support of a community. She grapples with her ethics and with her copic mechanisms. She makes tough decisions, but is ultimately quite likable.
 
This is a story about oppression. The leaders of this world hold all the privilege and all the power, and those beneath them are struggling to adapt and survive in any way they can. A good chunk of A Broken Blade is slower-paced worldbuilding and setup which lingers on this abuse and trauma, but this is the first in a series - a reshaping of the world is in order (starting with book 2?!). The content can be heavy at times, and Blair (who is an Anishinaabekwe author) doesn’t shy away from her themes of colonialism and systemic violence. 
 
At the same time - this book was dedicated to Booktok, and it playfully engages with many of the tropes that Booktok tends to favor. You’ll see a slowburn enemies to lovers romance, an “only one bed” scene, Fae, etc. There are lots of classic fantasy elements, but also some unique storytelling and great representation (many - most? - of the characters are POC and queer). 
 
The ending was a pretty big cliffhanger, and there were also some interesting plot points with unanswered questions. I’m looking forward to the next book!  
 
CW: murder, racism, violence, gore, alcoholism, sexual content (18+), assault, colonialism, slavery, war, depression, grief, suicidal thoughts, self harm, vomit
 
(I received a free review copy of this book; this is my honest review.)

I adore a good duology - and in this case, I thought the sequel was stronger than the first. 

 

This is not your typical chosen one story. Voya is human and makes mistakes; she’s constantly making tough choices and dealing with the messy consequences. Things never just “work out” for her. She’s human and struggling and always working to be a better person and leader for her family. 

 

It was so wonderful to watch Voya’s character development continue here. She’s got new responsibilities and is learning how to handle her new status as the family’s Matriarch. She’s dealing with sacrifice and handling input from a huge family with a huge amount of differing opinions. Voya has a big sense of duty and honors the weight of that. 

 

The writing started off slow (and I think a good 50 pages could have been shaved off here), but by the time things got going it was riveting.

 

Sambury puts a unique spin on her worldbuilding. I love love love the sci fi and speculative fiction elements woven into fantasy. The integration of tech and magic and how that impacts and divides the characters is fascinating to witness. The magic system is unique & creative as well.

 

One of the highlights of Blood Like Magic was the focus on family, and this thread continues throughout Blood Like Fate. There were so many thoughtfully developed relationships - between parents and cousins and family you choose and so on - that were realistically difficult yet still optimistic. 

 

The side characters were very fleshed out; I had no trouble remembering names. As in the first book, there’s some great representation here: Ownvoices Black characters (including the main character and her family), a Mexican character, Chinese characters, two major trans characters, a demisexual lesbian supporting character, and probably more that I’m forgetting to add. The book also takes place in Canada! 

 

I enjoyed the mystery element, but the foreshadowing was quite heavy-handed at times. I was surprised that Voya was so oblivious to some pretty bold red flags. 

 

In my review of the first book, I voiced some frustrations around character arcs and consequences of Voya’s decision. I had some similar grievances here; I appreciated that we didn’t have an ending that was wrapped up in a bow, but the antagonist was let off WAY too easily (like, shockingly so) and the side character that bore the brunt of Voya’s decision at the end of Blood Like Magic deserved much better here. It bummed me out. 

 

CW: murder, death, child death, grief, violence, gun violence, transphobia, eating disorder, addiction, domestic abuse, fire, sickness/infection, terminal illness

 

(I received an advance reader copy of this book; this is my honest review.)

A sweet story about an old man reconnecting with his community - but that ultimately disappointed me a bit.

 

We’re following Hubert Bird, a retired eldery man who lives alone in England. His beloved wife died 13 years ago, his daughter lives across the globe, and he has no dreams of putting himself out there and making new friends. But when his daughter shares she’s coming for a visit, he realizes he’s got to escape his isolation in order to make the “friends” he’s been telling her about for years. 

 

Hubert is also a Jamaican immigrant, and so the story is told partly in flashbacks featuring his struggles with racism upon arriving in London, meeting his wife and starting his family, and the tragedies that led to his isolation.

 

Hubert was an interesting protagonist, and I found the cast of characters to be very unique and well-developed. His venture towards building community & reconnecting with old friends was empowering; one person can make a difference. 

 

But unfortunately, I found a lot of the content to be a letdown. It was a bit formulaic, plot points were dropped (specifically a few threads from the flashbacks), and the arc with Hubert’s son was disappointing. Certain “plot twists” felt needlessly cruel. Did we need THAT much emotional trauma? Did it truly serve a purpose to the storytelling?

 

CW: racism, racial slurs, hate crime, death, grief, drug abuse, addiction, dementia, mental illness, xenophobia, car accident, suicidal thoughts, suicide (mentioned), ableism, infertility, infidelity, pregnancy, abandonment

 

(I received a free review copy of this book; this is my honest review.)

 

Wow. It’s hard to write about this book - I just want you all to go read it! It was … simply beautiful. Tender, intimate, touching. A lyrical work of art.

 

The plot centers around a young man who meets, befriends, and falls in love with a woman. I know that’s a very basic description, but I think it’s helpful to sink into the novel and experience the plot points rather than know the outline from the start. It involves romance, but also grief & loss & home and a lot of other topics, all explored in a deep, sensitive way.

 

The writing style is poetic but not super heightened (ie. not too hard to understand); it was more like streams of thought woven together in a delicate way. The narration is in second person which was so unique and delightful! A little weird to grasp at first, but when it finally clicked in, I loved it. 

 

It’s a portrait of young love, but also a portrait of grief. There’s an undercurrent of fear - fear of losing each other, fear of losing the freedom that comes with home, fear of the narrator being reduced to his Blackness. 

 

The title? Love is like entering open water. There are no reassurances. You’re in the middle of the sea.

 

CW: racism, police brutality, death, grief, gun violence, hate crime, car accident, suicidal thoughts, animal cruelty (briefly mentioned)

The Paradox Hotel is a time-traveling murder mystery with Jurassic Park vibes. That pretty much checks my boxes.

 

We follow January Cole, the head of security at a luxury time-travel hotel. Any job where you’re providing customer service to the ultra-wealthy can be a nightmare, but add in advanced tech, dinosaurs, and murder … and you’ve got a tornado. On top of all that, January is “Unstuck”: aka, she’s losing her place in time, snapping between past and future moments. 

 

January isn’t the most likable protagonist. She’s snarky and sometimes cruel, and makes some decisions that you as a reader probably won’t find relatable. But she’s grieving - and she’s got a decent sense of humor & playfulness about her - so at least in my case, I was rooting for her all the same. 

 

She’s got a robot sidekick called Ruby who is an absolute hoot & standout character here. January banters with Ruby in a hilariously antagonistic way. And you really feel for her as she’s dealing with these rich folks who have been totally brain warped: “They’ve been conditioned by their own success to believe they can’t do anything wrong.”

 

The book takes place in the future, and there’s a lot of queer rep that is part of characters’ identities but not a big deal otherwise in the world. January is a lesbian, her (dead) love interest is a trans woman, and a significant supporting character is nonbinary.

 

Speaking of January’s dead lover, she’s a bit of a flat character. She is Buddhist - and there are bits of wisdom & philosophy sprinkled throughout the pages that help guide January’s decisions - but that seems to be her one noticeable personality trait. She’s sweet and beautiful and oh-so-perfect, which makes it tough to get a full, human image of her.

 

The other fatal flaw with this book was the amount of overlapping elements. I thought the use of time travel was pretty clever (as both an exciting vacation and a terminal illness), but the amount of plot points built up towards the end became almost overwhelming. Some things felt obvious and some felt random, and there were so many pieces of info to hold in my head. And lots of characters.

 

But overall - this was FUN! Anything that includes velociraptors is a win for me. 

 

CW: blood, grief, death, terminal illness, chronic illness, murder, gun violence, drug use, injury, animal death, transphobia, homophobia, psychosis, dysphoria, classism, addiction, gaslighting, suicidal thoughts, war, antisemitism (there’s a trip back in time to Nazi Germany), fire injury, cultural appropriation

I loved Dauntless; it felt like a breath of fresh air in the YA fantasy realm!

 

We follow Seri, who lives in a world defined by very clear rules. Dangerous magical beasts attack the people whenever they can, which is why they’ve made their homes in spreading trees. The brave valiant defend them with superhuman strength, thanks to the armor they make from the beasts’ skin and hearts. 

 

Seri has stayed safe in the “known world”, until one day she encounters a stranger from beyond her borders who can communicate with these beasts, challenging everything she’s ever known to be true. Now she’s faced with a new possibility: peace

 

One of the standout elements of Dauntless was world-building. Bonnin has created an incredibly vivid Filipino inspired world; I really felt like I was in a tropical jungle. The descriptions of the environment and the food and the culture were SO immersive. (Note: this book is pitched as a Filipino-inspired fantasy, but to the best of my knowledge this just means the world, not so much the mythology/events of the story).

 

The fantasy world was thoughtful; it’s fleshed out in a detailed way without feeling overwhelming.

There was a very strong focus on worldbuilding at the beginning - so the plot was gentle and slow at first but still found it quite engaging. She’s taking these delightfully creative concepts but storytelling with straightforward details: so younger readers can follow along easily.

 

An element I LOVED was the concept of valor armor: magical armor (taken from killed-in-battle beasts) which shifts and changes color and shape to adapt to the warrior’s body … and to reveal their inner self. It was so neat to see vivid writing & descriptions that reflected characters’ hearts and emotions.

 

And speaking of characters, there were 3 female POVs here … and I enjoyed all of them! Each character engaged with their strength in different ways; people could cry and grieve and be furious and this wasn’t dismissed at all. Seri in particular had a compelling journey around guilt and grief and learning to open up to others.

 

There were also some fun POV switches, when you immediately get corrected on information one character thought they had right. I think that’s such a fun way to utilize multiple points of view

 

There’s also a sapphic romance here between two of the main character POVs (Seri is a lesbian and Tsana is bi). The romance IS a subplot but it’s important and given some depth; it’s warm and earnest and sweet to watch. It does feel very YA at times - especially with the instant connection - but I appreciated the slower development of the relationship over the course of the book.

 

Also … there’s an animal companion component here, which might just be my favorite element in a fantasy book. I can’t talk about it too much without being spoilery, but OOO was it sweet. 

 

Finally, there’s a sweet open-ended - but happy - ending. I love standalone fantasy books. I can see that the door was left open for a follow up here, but everything was also concluded in a satisfying way

 

CW: murder, death, violence, animal cruelty (hunting & culling), animal death, gore, grief, death of a parent, physical abuse, emotional abuse, suicidal thoughts, classism, colonization, mental illness, fire, poverty, starvation

(I received an advance reader copy of this book; this is my honest review.)