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book review

Yours From The Tower by Sally Nicholls, A Historical YA Told All In Letters

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I have a fondness for epistolary books and was super excited to dive into Yours From The Tower by Sally Nicholls!!

It’s the story of three girls who have just finished school and are off to pursue their futures (some they’ve chosen and some they feel obligated to do). They’re such close friends and dreaded giving each other up as distance separated them, so they started writing letters where all three would receive the same letters and keep posting them back and forth to each other. I love friendship books. 🥺 (And this is such a reminder of how easy it is to stay in contact with people these days and to keep up long-distance friendships.) The girls are truly so close and have dynamic personalities which was interesting to see them come through the letters. Sometimes, with books with multiple narrators, the voices can blur, but each girl felt so distinct to me as they wrote.

  • Louisa is from an upperclass family and is off to find a husband (preferably a rich one ahem), so she’s set to do the Season and go to lots of balls and meet all the eligible bachelors and be wooed, not by love, but by status. Except that’s not working out so well for her when a youngest-son of a not-financially-stable family falls for her and she is struggling hard not to be enamoured back.
  • Tirzah has been stuffed back into her ailing grandmother’s house to act as companion and basically live the most boring life ever as a sour, nasty old woman bosses her around. Tirzah is super outgoing and vibrant and dynamic, so being stuffed inside a house to read to an old woman is NOT suiting her personality. Her letters are full of drama and raging and then eventually she starts digging into the past and what happened to her mother.
  • Polly is off to work in an orphanage. She has such a soft, kind heart and she gets so invested i the lives of the children, but particular a family of three small boys who claim their evil stepmother abandoned them in the orphanage but their father is still alive, just overseas serving in the army. Polly is shocked that someone could do something like this to them and starts investigating, all the while trying not to fall for the orphanage manager.

It was a quick read and easy to devour. There are letters from a few other POVs sprinkled throughout (some were really funny from some of the boys lol) but mostly it’s just Tirzah, Louisa and Polly. I did feel Polly probably have as much page time as the others, but I was invested in Tirzah character growth arc and wondering if Lousia was going to go for that charming himbo of a boy. 😂 Sebastian was so dramatic. I also appreciated that it’s like a slice-of-life story and there wasn’t really friendship drama or backstabbing between the girls. They genuinely were such good friends.

And I laughed when they occasionally wrote privately to each other outside of the letters they all three shared. The 1800s equivalent of the group chat spawning new group chats.

Read it for:
♡ whole book told in letters
♡ 1800s lifestyle
♡ variety of different goals/lives women could lead back then
♡ some humour and drama
♡ strong friendship vibes
♡ intriguing subplots with little bites of mystery

Thank you to Walker Books for the copy!

1896. Tirzah, Louisa and Polly are best friends who’ve left boarding school and gone back to very different lives. Polly is teaching in an orphanage. Louisa is looking for a rich husband at the London Season. And Tirzah is stuck acting as an unpaid companion to her grandmother. In a series of letters, they share their hopes, their frustrations, their dramas … and their romances. Can these three very different young women find happiness?

goodreads | amazon | dymocks | walkerbooks

published November 1st, 2023

The Scarlet Veil by Shelby Mahurin, A Gothic Vampire Feast

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If you’re craving a book dripping in deeply gorgeous gothic aesthetics, then you’ll eat The Scarlet Veil up.

Think VAMPIRES, the seductively dangerous kind, who are as terrifying as they are entrancing. Célie and Michal definitely have an enemies-to-lovers arc going on too. And let’s not forgot the darkly austere gothic castle/mansions and all the secrets seething in the walls!! This book took the vibes and delivered for sure.

The Scarlet Veil is a spin-off series of the very-famous Serpent & Dove trilogy, this time staring Célie. It’s set several months after the events of S&D, and so you get to see how characters are fairing and also how they’re coping with all they’ve been through. Célie is definitely struggling with PTSD and flashbacks and anxiety–but it’s made her fiance (and friends) treat her like this delicate porcelain doll. They make decisions for her and don’t trust her judgement. Célie is there, struggling with her mental health, but also fighting to even be taken seriously. I felt for her immediately. She’s also a total sweetheart!! And she’s so full of determination to do what’s right and fierce loyalty toward her friends, you will fall in love with Célie.

Do you need to read Serpent & Dove to enjoy this series? Look, it depends!! I have only read S&D, not the sequels, so I do think I missed a lot of context while reading The Scarlet Veil. It also definitely spoils the finale of S&D, so if you’re keen to read the original series, I’d say go for that one first. Then start on this one.

“M-Michal—”
Breath low and uneven, he breaks his latch on my wrist to gaze down at me intently. “Célie.”
My blood stains his mouth brilliant scarlet.

It also has a very intriguing murder mystery plot, and there are lots of pieces of the puzzle at play here as we follow Célie when she is kidnapped by a vampire who thinks she’s someone else. It’s also very much a story about living life as a trauma survivor and also looking for the best in people and demanding justice. And there are so big twists that will leave you keen for more.

Read it for:
♡ gothic aesthetics
♡ wicked, seductive vampires
♡ murder mystery plot
♡ soft female MC and darkly morally grey love interest
♡ enemies to lovers
♡ he’ll destroy anyone who touches her
♡ big thickkkkk fantasy stories

Dark, entrancing, and full of mystery, this is perfect for upper-YA romantasy fans who are looking to be sucked into a brand new fantasy series.

Thank you to HarperCollins for the copy!

A dark and thrilling vampire romance set in the world of the New York Times bestselling series Serpent & Dove!
Six months have passed since Célie took her sacred vows and joined the ranks of the Chasseurs as their first huntswoman. With her fiancé, Jean Luc, as captain, she is determined to find her foothold in her new role and help protect Belterra. But whispers from her past still haunt her, and a new evil is rising – leaving bodies in its wake, each one decorated with twin puncture wounds in its throat.
Now Célie has a new reason to fear the dark because someone – something – is coming for her. And the closer he gets, the more tempted Célie feels to give in to his dank hungers – and her own. . .

goodreads | blackwells | dymocks | harpercollins aus

published October 4, 2023

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett (Cosy Light Academia Fairy Tale Fantasy!)

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Emily Wilde captured my entire heart in this beautiful story.

This is exactly my kind of book–steeped in fairy folklore where the fae are whimsical and clever and full of myths and wickedness and tricks and utterly unreal levels of magic. And I adored the set up of this! Emily Wilde is a human professor (an antisocial, introverted one at that) whose lifelong aim is to complete the first ever comprehensive encyclopaedia of faeries. She does plenty of field work, tons of studying, and she views faeries through a very scientific lens. It was honestly such a unique and compelling story and I loved the framework.

The book is also told in journal entries. I do like this style of format, and it allowed us to be very intrinsically swept up in Emily’s thought processes and made her a very deeply empathetic character despite her stand-offish presentation.

Emily travels to a remote village in Scandinavia called Hrafnsvik as she works to complete her encyclopaedia, and the setting is so wintery and chilled and frosted over with ice. You can feel it on the pages. There is also a cosy element to the story overall, with the aesthetics of the cosy cabin and bookish scenes. It was giving Light Academia too, tbh, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

“One doesn’t need magic if one knows enough stories.”

“The Folk were of another world, with its own rules and customs—and to a child who always felt ill-suited to her own world, the lure was irresistible.”

The story mainly features Emily and Wendell Bambleby, another professor from Cambridge who invites himself along on her expedition and who she is frustratedly annoyed at because she’s sure he’s trying to take credit for her work. They have a sort of frenemies-rivalry going on, except it’s mostly in Emily’s head (lmao). Wendell is just the most flamboyant eccentric academic idiot to grace a page and I absolutely loved him from the start. (Think Howl from Howl’s Moving Castle, basically, and you’ve got the vibe.) He is the sunshine to Emily’s grump. He is the extravagance to Emily’s frugal reservations. They are SUCH opposites, that they’re a total delight on page together.

I’ll also take a moment to say I suspect Emily was coded as autistic, and I’m unsure if that was intentional on the author’s part. As an autistic individual myself, I found the rep interesting, not bad, though not exactly landing true autism…so I wonder if Emily is just meant to be very introverted. Something to muse on, and I’d love to hear other readers’ opinions.

The overall plot is not face-paced, but I loved that. I loved the cosy village scenes, and the discovery of new fairies, and the pauses for Wendell shenanigans and the adventurous twist at the end. It’s infused with magic and told in such a lovely voice, and I throughly enjoyed every page.

Read it for:
♡ fairy tale vibes and folklore stories
♡ sunshine x grump (light) romance
♡ cosy dynamics and wintery setting
♡ stiff, grumpy characters learning to be loved
♡ light academia meets fairy tale magic
♡ journal entries format

Beautifully written, with characters you’ll grow so fond of, this is the whimsical yet cosy fantasy I have been craving and couldn’t love it enough!

Thank you to Orbit UK for the copy!

A curmudgeonly professor journeys to a small town in the far north to study faerie folklore and discovers dark fae magic, friendship, and love in the start of a heartwarming and enchanting new fantasy series.
Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world’s first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party–or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, and the Fair Folk.
So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, get in the middle of Emily’s research, and utterly confound and frustrate her.
But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones–the most elusive of all faeries–lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she’ll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all–her own heart.

goodreads | blackwells | amazon | orbit uk

published January 10, 2023

The Stolen Heir by Holly Black (Wicked Fairytales To Adore!)

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Being a huge fan of The Cruel Prince trilogy, my expectations were super high for The Stolen Heir.

And oh I am shouting, because this was so so so so good. I’m absolutely obsessed!! I adore Holly Black’s style of fairy tales and fairy worlds, and this was absolutely addictive, biting, wickedly magical, beautiful and powerful. I just felt so stuffed full of inspiration and excited magic when I was finished–I love this feeling!! I am absolutely pining for book 2, of course, and after the way this one ended–2024 is going to be a good year for books.

An important question is probably, “Can you read The Stolen Heir without reading The Cruel Prince series?” And yes! I think you can. It does have spoilers for TCP obviously because it’s set several years later. But this follows the POV of Wren, who was a minor character (and just a child) in TCP, and while her story is built off the events of TCP, she brings a brand new perspective and storyline.

Also let me just say I am OBSESSED with the dark fairy tale bent to this. How the folk were so vicious and monstrous and stunningly beautiful. How the games had that macabre bent. Wren has been through hell and considers herself a feral, guarded, sharp-toothed thing. She can’t possibly understand why anyone would like her, let alone help her, and distrusts Oak extremely. Gentleness under a feral exterior is one of my favourite types of characters to read about, so this just had me living.

“Stop waiting. Sink those pretty little teeth into something.”

“Perhaps it is Oak who is the fool, who caught a wolf and thought that by putting it in a gown and speaking to it as though it were a girl, it would become one.”

The story is full of the good old fairy tale tricks and twists too. I LOVED every single aspect of it, the schemes and “don’t trust anyone” vibes. There are new characters to adore and old ones to fall in love with all over again. Oak is such a complex character, you just keep finding out new layers to him as each scene progresses. Charmer with a dark side? YES.

Read it for:
♡ dark fairy tale vibes and folklore
♡ feral girl x charmer boy
♡ clever plots and twists
♡ beautiful prose
♡ mentions of old The Cruel Prince cast
♡ thoroughly addictive storyline

This story had me falling in love with dark fairy folktales all over again with it’s vivacious writing and stunningly layered characters and plot twists to explode your heart. Highly recommend!!

Thank you to Allen & Unwin for the review copy!

Return to the opulent world of Elfhame, filled with intrigue, betrayal, and dangerous desires, with this first book of a captivating new duology from the #1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black.
Eight years have passed since the Battle of the Serpent. But in the icy north, Lady Nore of the Court of Teeth has reclaimed the Ice Needle Citadel. There, she is using an ancient relic to create monsters of stick and snow who will do her bidding and exact her revenge.
Suren, child queen of the Court of Teeth, and the one person with power over her mother, Lady Nore, fled to the human world. There, she lives feral in the woods. Lonely, and still haunted by the merciless torments she endured in the Court of Teeth, she bides her time by releasing mortals from foolish bargains. She believes herself forgotten until the storm hag, Bogdana chases her through the night streets. Suren is saved by none other than Prince Oak, heir to Elfhame, to whom she was once promised in marriage and who she has resented for years.
Now seventeen, Oak is charming, beautiful, and manipulative. He’s on a mission that will lead him into the north, and he wants Suren’s help. But if she agrees, it will mean guarding her heart against the boy she once knew and a prince she cannot trust, as well as confronting all the horrors she thought she left behind.

goodreads | dymocks | amazon | allen & unwin

published 03 Jan, 2023

Sword of Audantei by Ashley Holmquist, an epic Author Q&A

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I’m excited to share an epic author Q&A with Ashley Holmquist today for her upcoming book, Sword of Audantei!!

Cannot go wrong with an epic new fantasy series, and this one sounds totally thrilling. Plus, it’s definitely catching some of my fave tropes there (helloooo enemies to found family).

Legendborn meets The Sword of Kaigen in this captivating YA fantasy epic. Incorporating ancient legends and a mystical atmosphere, book one in the Artifacts of Anarchy series will transport readers on an extraordinary journey full of magic, betrayal, redemption arcs, and belonging. Will Danilo discover his true destiny and uncover the truth behind Audantei’s dark past? Sword of Audantei is perfect for fans of C.S. Pacat & Dune. Out on October 12th, 2023!

Read it for:
♡ Found family
♡ Elemental magic
♡ Enemies to family
♡ Desert setting
♡ Magic sword
♡ Grumpy dad/ hyperactive son

Get ready to be swept up in a captivating fantasy of high stakes and vivid world building, as we follow Danilo on an unforgettable journey.

Thank you to MTMC Tours for having me on the tour!

Hi Ashley, I’m so excited to have the chance to chat with you about your gorgeous debut, Sword Of Audantei! Can you tell us a little about your publishing journey, from first idea to finished book in our hands?

The initial brainstorm for the Artifacts of Anarchy started in 2019. It was largely inspired by Assassin’s Creed and split into two or three novels. Today the series has developed into a series of five that reads more like Lord of the Rings meets Six of Crows, with a hint of Legendborn.

As Sword of Audantei morphed between these ideas, I enjoyed building a community of writers and authors who encouraged me to continue writing my story. A few of them even helped to develop my novel into its current work.

The actual publishing journey has been fairly wild from beginning to, well, I’d say end but it never truly ends does it! Between novel formatting to copywriting, the publishing process has challenged the extent of my administrative skills and forced them even further. It has been a change to grow as both an author and an individual. In fact, since beginning my publishing journey, I’ve found my personal goals have shifted and I’ve taken on an active role in pursuing even the ‘mundane’ tasks.

What drew you to writing fantasy and what was your favourite part of creating your world?

I’ve always been a fan of fantasy. My dad started that obsession at a young age with The Princess Bride, and from there it became Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean, and honestly so many more. So it’s not entirely surprising that my first book is fantasy.

My favourite part of creating my world? I genuinely love researching and piecing together information to create a life-like world. I’m a detail-oriented person, and I find it satisfying when all the details connect.

Tell us 3 random facts about Danilo!

He hates bread
He prefers to be underestimated, despite his reputation
If you were to classify him into an animal-lover category, he’d be a “horse girl”

When do you usually write and what is your writing space like?

I usually write anywhere I can. My life is full and busy, there’s always some sort of chaotic background noise claiming the air of whatever writing space I choose. More often than not, I’m at the dining room table with my headphones cranked. And if that happens to not be working that day, I’ll carve out a little time before bed and light a candle.

Can we beg for a hint about what you’re working on next?

I’m actually working on the sequel to the Artifacts of Anarchy series. And while I don’t have too much to share at this point in the book’s progress, I will share the following.

Danilo, having been sent to the Untamed North to aid Borak in his search for the Helmet of Nithar, meets a hauntingly familiar person from his past. Can he remain objective to the mission when his buried past continues to resurface? Meanwhile, the Medumara learn of Borak’s search. With the promise of more power, they send the Dagger of Mara after them.

And lastly! What have been some of your favourite author moments so far?

I think my favourite author moment has been the moment I held the book in my hand. After years of writing, rewriting, deciding on art, and finding an editor, when you get to the printing stage, you’ve almost forgotten what you sent out to accomplish. Getting the book and flipping through its pages, gives you a surreal feeling of accomplishment.

Thanks so much for all the amazing answers, Ashley!! And congrats on your new novel. ❤️

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ashley Holmquist is a first-time author of the mystical fantasy-adventure series—Artifacts of Anarchy. Her short stories have been published in multiple online magazines.She’s the eldest of five gremlin children, a socially-awkward Christian, and a book hoarder. She has been a racehorse owner, a counselling major, an office manager, an interior designer, and has travelled to multiple countries. She is also an avid gamer, so long as the video game is a solo experience. Ashley’s writing thrives in loud and chaotic surroundings that are usually impossible to focus in. And despite that success, her writing is best done in her quiet church office, where her flawed characters can live in untamed, unabashed ruthlessness in an attempt to hide their soft hearts. Website | Instagram | TikTok

Lieutenant Commander Danilo Altamura is torn between his commitment to his city and his desperate desire to escape the clutches of his deranged father, High General Llodis Altamura. When Danilo’s blood bonds with a powerful Stormthrower sword, Llodis labels him a traitor and he flees to Audantei’s deadly alleyways, where survival means staying hidden. But after stumbling upon an unexpected incident during Audantei’s notorious Hanging Day, his world takes a dark and twisted turn.
Seeking refuge among Audantei’s enemies, the Stormthrowers, Danilo strikes a deal with their reticent leader, Enzo Sapienti. In exchange for safety, Danilo finds himself a captive among the most dangerous of their kind.
As secrets unravel and loyalties shift, Danilo’s dormant magic is awakened, revealing the true extent of his exile. When the Stormthrowers capture Llodis, they discover the vengeful Royal Beseecher hunts Danilo, leaving him to choose which fate to Enzo’s threats or the tantalizing promises of his father.
Incorporating ancient legends and a mystical atmosphere, “Sword of Audantei” will transport young adult readers on an extraordinary journey. Will Danilo discover his true destiny and uncover the truth behind Audantei’s dark past? Find out in this captivating fantasy epic that will leave you breathless.

Amazon | Goodreads

out October 12th, 2023

Her Radiant Curse by Elizabeth Lim, A Lush Mythological Fantasy Prequel

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Time to fall back into the world of Six Crimson Cranes with this lush new fantasy prequel.

When you open Her Radiant Curse, you’re immediately thrown into the gorgeous prose and vivdly descriptive world of a classic Elizabeth Lim story. There’s such a fairy tale quality to it. It reads like getting lost in a myth where there are talking snakes and shapeshifting demons and an innocent girl who asked for none of the misfortunate about to befall her. This is the tale of two sisters (one beautiful and one monstrous) and their complex relationship that sets off an unstoppable chain of events.

Channi is only two-years-old when she’s cursed by a tiger and saved by a snake. It is the catalyst for an unfair future in a world were beauty is perceived as everything and women with snake-like features are hidden and shunned. And in true fairy tale fashion, Channi’s little sister is so gorgeous that kings and rich rules from all over the world are literally lining up to marry her, creating a polarising contrast between the sisters. All Channi wants is to break her curse, but first she must kill the tiger and figure out a way to to save her sister. Because either she stays cursed, or the demon gets her sister.

“I’m already a monster. What fear need I have of the Demon Witch?”

It is such a tale of sisterhood, of Channi and Vanna’s unbreakable bond that is just so rooted in love and affection for each other. The ending had me feeling way too many things–though of course this is the “step-mother origin story” from Six Crimson Cranes, so I knew a little of what would happen. I do think you can read this without having read SCC though!!

“A promise is not a kiss in the wind, to be thrown about without care. It is a piece of yourself that is given away and will not return until your pledge is fulfilled. Understand?”

Read it for:
♡ fairy tales and myths coming to life
♡ talking mythological creatures like serpent kings and dragons
♡ complex villains
♡ female rage
♡ face-paced plot with plenty of action
♡ deep sisterly love
♡ a girl who would destroy the world to save her sister
♡ imaginative and pretty fantasy world descriptions

A fairy tale not to be missed, this is a beautifully told story that will take you through a roller-coaster of emotions as you are swept up in a world of Asian mythology.

Thank you to Hachette Australia for the review copy!

From the New York Times bestselling author of Six Crimson Cranes comes a tale of two sisters – one as beautiful as the other is monstrous – who must fight to save each other when a betrothal contest gone wrong unleashes an evil that could sever their bond forever.
One must fall for the other to rise.
Channi was not born a monster. But when her own father offers her in sacrifice to the Demon Witch, she is forever changed. Cursed with a serpent’s face, Channi is the exact opposite of her beautiful sister, Vanna-the only person in the village who looks at Channi and doesn’t see a monster. The only person she loves and trusts.
Now seventeen, Vanna is to be married off in a vulgar contest that will enrich the coffers of the village leaders. Only Channi, who’s had to rely on her strength and cunning all these years, can defend her sister against the cruelest of the suitors. But in doing so, she becomes the target of his wrath – launching a grisly battle royale, a quest over land and sea, a romance between sworn enemies, and a choice that will strain Channi’s heart to its breaking point.

goodreads | dymocks | amazon | hachette aus

published august 29th, 2023

Twin Crowns & Cursed Crowns by Catherine Doyle and Katherine Webber (lighthearted fantasy romp!)

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If you’re looking for a lighthearted fantasy series, you want to try the Twin Crowns books!

I’ve been reading Twin Crowns and the sequel, Cursed Crowns, this year and they’re such pretty books! The style of fantasy gives me both fairy tale and Disney vibes–you’ll get all the drama and romance and banter you could ask for, with some feelsy moments as a bonus. I appreciate that they’re written with a younger-YA feel, which is so needed, because a lot of YA fantasy seems pretty aged up these days. This would be perfect for ages 12+ teens.

Twin Crowns, book 1, introduces us to two sisters: Rose (queen) and Wren (witch). They’re twins, separated at birth, and while Rose is “ruling” under manipulative guidance, Wren has been training with her witch powers to someday steal back the throne and release the kingdom from its oppressive rule. Wren knows Rose exists…but Rose has been left in the dark to the fact she has a sister. The story is part court-politics and part adventure-fantasy-romp as Rose gets kidnapped by Wren’s witchy people and taken back to their town, while Wren impersonates Rose for the crown as part of her scheme.

The sisters are both very dynamic characters. Rose is toffy and posh, definitely your classic-style princess, while Wren is bitter and impulsive. She will dive into danger. She will swim in it. Cannot be stopped!!

The books are quite long and not fast-paced, so readers who enjoy books that take their time will love this style. And of course there’s plenty of magic, witchy machinations, and a little romance as Rose develops feelings for her unwilling kidnapper, Shen, (aka Wren’s BFF) and Wren starts getting heart-eyes for a guard.

Cursed Crowns takes off pretty much straight after book one finishes. Now that the girls have things “sorted” and are in the castle together, they’ve got a lot of clean up from everything that went down in the finale of the last book to figure out. They’re still learning how to mesh together as estranged sisters, since their personalities are like ice and fire. There’s also pain to deal with, allies and people they love now gone or taken, and there’s still unrest in their kingdom. Everyone has been taught to believe witches are evil and must be stamped out, so now it’s up to Wren and Rose to change public opinion considering they are both, well, witches. And trying to rule here.

The story ends up splitting up the sisters again for separate quests, and I do wish they’d stayed together so we could’ve seen how they grow and develop. But there was a lot of ground to cover in this one. I appreciated Shen got more of a plot line too (love Shen!) and Wren takes off to do a bit of necromancy and get thoroughly out of her depth in the enemy kingdom. The tone is still light though, with plenty of banter and quips. Lots of girlpower and sister bonds and it leaves everything wide open for book 3.

A fun series with all the well-known fantasy tropes and quips, perfect for those who love both adventure and queens and sisterly bonds in their fantasy books.

Thank you to HarperCollins Australia for the review copies!

Wren Greenrock has always known that one day she would steal her sister’s place in the palace. Trained from birth to return to the place of her parents’ murder and usurp the only survivor, she will do anything to rise to power and protect the community of witches she loves. Or she would, if only a certain palace guard wasn’t quite so distractingly attractive, and if her reckless magic didn’t have a habit of causing trouble…
Princess Rose Valhart knows that with power comes responsibility. Marriage into a brutal kingdom awaits, and she will not let a small matter like waking up in the middle of the desert in the company of an extremely impertinent (and handsome) kidnapper get in the way of her royal duty. But life outside the palace walls is wilder and more beautiful than she ever imagined, and the witches she has long feared might turn out to be the family she never knew she was missing.
Two sisters separated at birth and raised into entirely different worlds are about to get to know each other’s lives a whole lot better. But as coronation day looms closer and they each strive to claim their birthright, the sinister Kingsbreath, Willem Rathborne, becomes increasingly determined that neither will succeed. Who will ultimately rise to power and wear the crown?

goodreads | dymocks | amazon | harpercollins

published may 3rd, 2023

the skull by jon klassen (the cosy gothic children’s book you need)

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When I say I am obsessed with The Skull by Jon Klassen, I am. Can we say cosy gothic?! Because it is.

This is a beautifully illustrated, dark and yet cosy, folktale about a girl who runs away and finds a mysterious abandoned mansion inhabited only by a skull. There is just such spooky whimsy on the pages, and it delivers the store in such a factual and endearing way. It’s retold from the original Tyrolean tale (I had to look this up, and it’s Austrian!) and I love how, at the end, the author talked about how this is how folktales should be passed down: each time they’re told and shared and spoken, they change a little. Stories truly do have a life of their own and every time we speak them, they grow that little bit more.

The story is perfect for younger readers with large, easy-to-read font. It’s also a quick read and not at all intimidating. On the spookier side? A little. I would’ve lapped this up as a kid too, because please yes talk to me about skeletons and abandoned mansions and bottomless holes in the ground under the house. And I found it equally enjoyable as an adult.

Jon Klassen’s art style is also absolutely incredible and I adore it. Macabre whimsy and soft tones; you just want to live in amongst the pages.

Do you need this book? Absolutely. It will live rent free in my head and I would like infinite books with this aesthetic. Gothic, cosy, and memorable.

Thank you to Walker Books Australia for the review copy!

Caldecott Medalist and #1 New York Times best-selling author-illustrator Jon Klassen delivers a deliciously macabre treat for folktale fans.
In a big abandoned house, on a barren hill, lives a skull. A brave girl named Otilla has escaped from terrible danger and run away, and when she finds herself lost in the dark forest, the lonely house beckons. Her host, the skull, is afraid of something too, something that comes every night. Can brave Otilla save them both? Steeped in shadows and threaded with subtle wit – with rich, monochromatic artwork and an illuminating author’s note – The Skull is as empowering as it is mysterious and foreboding.

goodreads | dymocks | walkerbooks

published July 7th, 2023

this summer’s secrets by emily barr (twisted and mysterious rich family saga)

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When a book is about old mansions and extravagantly rich families and their secrets…you know things are about to go down. And like, probably not legal things. 😂 I do have a soft spot for books about unhinged rich families, and I was very curious to dive into this. I read Emily Barr’s The One Memory Of Flora Banks back in in 2017 and I remember finding that fascinating, so I was curious about this latest release. This Summer’s Secrets centres around the mansion called Cliff House and the generational secrets buried there (literally). It’s a family saga as it covers three time frames (1940s, 1980s, and present day) and gives us a detailed view of the Roberts family and their complicated past and all the things they don’t want anyone to know.

In the present day, the story is mostly told by Senara, an outsider who has befriended the old, crotchety matriarch of Cliff House, Martha. Then Martha’s children and grandchildren visit because they’re worried Martha is about to write them out of the will. Senara gets sucked into the swirl of their extravagant life, latching on to a nebulous friendship with Clementine who is spoiled and bratty but sweeps everyone up with her magnetic personality. Josie, Senara’s friend also narrates, and she realises her family might be involved in some of the secrets that happened in Cliff House’s past so she’s keen to investigate. She also has far less tolerance for the privilege of the rich and her life is pretty hard as she cares for her disabled mother and is figuring out her sexuality. (Some really nice sapphic rep here too!)

There are bones in the garden and rowdy parties and the butterflies of first romance and secrets from the past that come back to haunt everyone. There are a lot of narrators and side-character names to keep track of, but if you like the wide scope of family sagas, this one might be for you! It also reads slice-of-life at times, going for a slowburn unveiling of the mysteries rather than a speedy thriller vibe. It definitely gave me We Were Liars vibes too.

With mysteries to solve, and legacies to unravel, This Summer’s Secrets makes for a compelling summer read.

Thank you to Penguin Australia for the review copy!

ONE HOT SUMMER, FIRST LOVE AND SO MANY BURIED SECRETS . . .
Senara has never been in love before. She’s not done anything exciting before. Always the sidekick . . . Until the summer that changes everything.
Cliff House is closed off for most of the year until its rich Londoner owners come down to Cornwall for the summer. This year, despite herself, Senara finds herself pulled into this world of wealth and ease, sunbathing and beautiful people. She even finds herself falling in love for the first time.
But Cliff House and its owners are hiding things. They’ve been hiding things for too long and now, despite all their efforts, their secrets are coming out . . . Secrets that involve Senara’s friends and her family in a way she could never have imagined.

goodreads | amazon | penguin aus

published June 13th, 2023

liar’s beach by katie cotugno (rich people problems mystery thriller)

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If you’re looking for a whodunnit mixed with the addictive spiral of rich people problems, this one is for you. It made me reminiscent of We Were Liars, but this one comes with an Agatha Christy retelling style bent. We follow Michael Linden on break from boarding school and eagerly accepting his rich roommate’s offer to vacation at his mansion. Linden is obsessed with the life of the wealthy and it’s all he dreams about achieving. But he also has a lot to hide, like a) he isn’t wealthy, in fact his mum cleans rich people’s houses, and b) the only reason he’s in a fancy boarding school is because of a sport scholarship and he’s just busted his foot and isn’t sure if he’ll ever play again.

Linden was an intriguing character for me, you can empathise with him and also ask yourself why he’s doing all these contortions just to fit into this world where wealthy people play games with money and life and nothing can touch them. He has a huge crush on his bestie’s sister, who is very enigmatic and plays the part of the manic pixie dream girl, always reading pretentious books and flirting just enough to reel Linden in but not confirm she likes him back. And then there’s a lot of family drama going on at his friend’s mansion that has to do with the neighbours and jail time and embezzlement. Linden was going to stay right out of that except…there’s an accident. A body is in the pool and they rescue the person, barely alive. Now there’s a mystery to solve and Linden must team up with his childhood estranged friend, Holiday, to dig deep into things he maaaaybe doesn’t want to find out.

It is definitely a mystery, but not actually a murder mystery as the person in the pool was still alive when they found them. Linden takes a bit more of a side-kick place, while Holiday does the investigating, which is reminiscent of the old mystery classics. It’s also a short read, which kept up the tension nicely.

A YA thriller with a classic mystery vibe, the insidious secrets of the rich, and an ending that begs for a sequel!

Thank you to Penguin Australia for the review copy!

A fresh new take on Agatha Christie’s classic murder mystery The Mysterious Affair at Styles , with iconic detective Hercule Poirot recast as a brilliant, brash teen girl named Holiday, and narrated by her childhood friend Linden, an athlete-scholar who fits right in at his elite New England prep school—all the while hiding some secrets of his own.
Michael Linden—or just Linden to his preppy boarding school pals—doesn’t belong in wealthy, storied Martha’s Vineyard. But when his roommate Jasper invites him to spend the end of summer at his massive beachfront home, August House, Linden tries his best to fit in. Linden wouldn’t call it lying, exactly. Though it turns out August House is full of liars.
Then someone is found unconscious in Jasper’s pool, and everyone has something to hide—Jasper, his beautiful sister Eliza, their older brother Wells, and their friends. The accident is written off as just that—an accident—but Linden begins to wonder…
Holiday Proctor. Linden’s childhood friend, and the one person on the island who knows the truth about Linden. There’s nothing Holiday loves more than a good old-fashioned mystery and she’s convinced there’s a potential killer on the Vineyard. The only question is…who?

goodreads | amazon | penguin aus

published May 5th, 2023