Tag: books

A Coup of Tea, Casey Blair

12+B

I love this book sooo much! I’ve just reread it for the second time and it is so much better than I remembered! (I mean I had it already as a five star read but it just got better!)

It looks and feels mostly like a cosy fantasy that follows a previously sheltered princess finding love and herself as well as a found family BUT it is so much more than that. We begin in the palace of Istralam during Miyara’s political crossroads in her life. As the fourth daughter she is expected to follow the third into a previously travelled controlled route. Miyara makes the random decision to leave fleeing the city and her family’s control. I honestly like the idea of the princess in exile because she wanted to.

This first part is the least connected to Miyara as a character and that is because she doesn’t really have a character yet. She is used to fitting into the spare corners of her cold royal family and she is used to being passive, not active. Miyara is an interesting character because she is so set in her decision – she doubts herself but not her decisions.

I love her growth and her interaction with the other characters. Ms Blair excels at hanging a lantern on how Miyara’s privilege gives her more security to change things. Because of her princess training, she can perform the tea ceremony well enough to instantly have a status in the world (more on the tea and the world later). The book explores systematic oppression (I would say deftly but it is through the experience of Miyara who has never been oppressed and is shocked by it so it isn’t subtle because Miyara isn’t subtle about it. She hasn’t been taught or learnt to ignore it or fear it or hide it or manipulate it unlike the other characters).

I also love the witch/mage idea and the idea of the witch hunts not only being sexist but also racist – the women thought to be witches are of the foreign oppressed race. It is a little bit more complex than that but I cant say anymore for spoilers!

Last thing – tea. Like the title suggests tea is very important. Tea is diplomacy, it is expression, it is universal and in this kingdom which is quite low fantasy it forms the almost magic that I hope will be explored later on.

Characters: 4/5 stars. I really like them, Miyara reflects the characters around her so well. I think the best mc’s are the ones that truly allow other people to display facets of their perspective on the world while still having their own.

Romance: 5/5 stars – Soft Romance – Its so sweet! Its also a subplot but I do love it.

Plot: 4/5 – I do like the plot but it almost comes secondary to me. For most of the book, the reasons for the plot are being developed, the oppression which makes the ultimate confrontation and take down (with legalities included and awkward councils open to bribery).

World: 4/5 – I love this world and I cant wait to explore more of it.

Things to be aware of: racism. It was tricky to give it an age rating, I would personally say that twelve and up  could read it but they might enjoy it more if they were a bit older – it has a lot of moving parts in the story. The romance is very minimal so if you are looking for a read that doesn’t focus as much on the will they wont they then this is such a relax to read. Also if you are looking for an LGBTQ+ read then this is enjoyably subtle and woven in without the clumsiness of some books!

1

Just Stab Me Now, Jill Bearup

Age Rating: Complicated.

This book isn’t my usual genre, but I watched all her shorts as she developed this world with skits and parodies of the usual romance genre and I loved them. I got the book for Christmas and read it in less than 24 hours.

Layer 1

The essential basis of the book is that it is multiple layers. At the bottom there is the fantasy enemies to lovers story. It uses an older heroine whom has children the usual age of the main characters and is subsequently wiser to the world. Rosamund deals with her problems like an adult, an adult whom has already been through one political foreign marriage to Hugo and has been left a widower in a war that is being fought with the king her sister married too. Honestly the basic story while it has a twist or two on the usual tropes isn’t that exceptional. Its not supposed to be, the interaction between the characters and the author is where Bearup has focused her efforts.

Layer 2

Caroline the author talks to her characters regularly in the middle of scenes, directing them what to do and arguing with them about what to do. She is desperately trying to make genre expectations work despite characters whom are actively rebelling against her outline.

Layer 3

Carolines own life with her annoying CFO at a tech firm. Essentially it is there to support Carolines frustrations with her character and also to slid in some parallels like the book plot reflecting her own life just with a more satisfying ending.

Layer 4

Editor Comments. Like the gorgeous cover which looks half way through editing, Henry her hot editor (his descriptor throughout all of the book) occasionally puts in a note about historical accuracy and she responds with her own ideas.

It sounds complicated, and it semi is. I struggled for a few chapters to get a grasp on the rapid switching of POV and layers. I think that Caroline chiming in for only a few lines and then ducking back out was the hardest thing for me to follow. I do know that I read exceptionally fast, and so reading the book that fast means that I do wrestle with Pov changes that are that small because I have to double back and figure out who said what.

The point of this book is to parody and show a different side of an authors life, the one whom wrestles with deadlines, her other life and horrible historical limitations that should NOT exist in fantasy (but have to. For the record if it is a historical fantasy I don’t want modern inventions!) Its not what I usually would review but I do think its worth a read if you read a lot of fantasy/romance/anything in the YA/adult popular booktok categories that centre on magical systems.

Plot – 3/5

Characters – 3/5

Romance – 3.5/5 – Sweet Romance – (I am giving a lot of 3s! but the Romances of both, Leo and Rosamund (sweet and I did like it.) and Henry and Caroline (sneaking in that boss/employee trope in there to play with which I usually hate but can just let slide this time.)  NB – I did appreciate that Bearup had Leo (mmc) point out the flaws in her plan for him to make an inappropriate comment during the plot.

World – 4/5 – Standard fantasy world but with some interesting world building details thrown in. because what we are reading is the first draft, there are a few notes that Caroline will add more lore in later. I would have liked that lore in the book but still a good dual world with multiple aspects.

Things to be aware of: so for the age I have no clue, its mostly suitable I’d say 12+B but the actual content does not reflect whom it is written for. I would hesitate to say it is a YA novel, I would say it is an adult novel that is enjoyable and its content is suitable. I would honestly recommend this for after all the samey samey romantasys and random rom-coms. I have been reading a lot lately so this was nice to see my own thoughts reflected.

Overall I am delighted that the skits managed to turn into a manageable book and if you are looking for a chill read with a relaxing predictability and some new interesting perspectives then give it a go!

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Tuesdays at the Castle, Jessica Day George

10+

This first book introduces us to the eleven-year-old Celie and her siblings Rolf and Delilah. As the youngest child of King Glower the seventy-ninth (I have an entire blog post dedicated to this delightful legacy of the name and how it affects the succession but back to the point). Celie as the youngest of King Glower is given a lot more freedom than her siblings, and spends her days roaming around the ever changing sentient castle. She keeps a sheaf of papers with the Castle maps with her that she regularly changes and alters to keep up with the ever changing castle.

The Castle itself is an immensely powerful sentient building – but we know nothing about it. The inhabitants know nothing either, and Celie mentions a few of the varying theories about how the Castle brought rooms back and forth depending on the need. For the extra house guests the castle grows several more rooms, tailored to its feelings about the guests. If it doesn’t like you, it kicks you out and the Castle’s actions are uncontrollable by the Royals who live there.

As we see, the house guests and villagers are suitably leery of the idea of a sentient castle. Pogue Parry, Princess Delilah’s flirter (I wont say suitor because their relationship feels to me like they both know it wont last) acknowledges this, saying it is only because he has seen it with his own eyes multiple times he can believe it. I like this dose of realism, of course people wouldn’t honestly believe in an unexplainable sentience of a building they hadn’t seen.

I just love this book. It was one of the first series I read that really managed to dip into so many different aspects of fantasy and serious odds while retaining that feeling of being wrapped in a warm blanket. It may just be because I have read it so many times but this book has only been reread so many times because of its warm feel. I don’t know how else to describe it, just read it!

Plot  – 4/5 – Love it, every time I am still just as excited and delighted at each turn even though I really should know what happens by now)

World – 5/5 – gushed about it in my review, the Castle location is simply divine. I love it. It is rare that a book with just one location can get a 5 stars from me, but despite the fact they never leave the castle, I love it! (and the world gets better and better and more complex as you delve deeper into the series!)

Romance – NA – no real romance, Lilah and Pogue flirt a tiny bit.

Characters – 4/5 – I do like the characters a lot, they are enjoyable and interesting. Celie actually feels like an eleven year old! Its so rare that characters under twelve actually match their literary age and so this fits perfectly.

Things to be aware of: Honestly not much, there are mentions of death or planned death but nothing on the page.

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Anti-Heroine vs Classic Heroine

Why are Anti Heroes so attractive?

So what is an Anti-Hero? When do they become the villain? Is doing the right thing for the wrong reasons a villains actions or a heroes?

I love a good anti hero. They are often more complex than the classic hero and their moral compass can differ depending on the situation. It makes an engaging read and in YA and adult it hopefully creates a character that we cant predict. A true anti-hero is someone who balances on the edge of good and evil. They have done evil things, but they in the end are a force for good – at least for now. Celaena Sardothien from a Throne of Glass immediately springs to mind.

Review here! https://damselindelightcom.wordpress.com/2023/12/31/throne-of-glass-by-sarah-j-maas/

She is a classic example of an anti hero. Frequently throughout the series she does ruthless and merciless things but the audience is still rooting for her! Through the novellas (which I really do recommend, they are an excellent starting point to dip your toe into the Throne of Glass world) we really grasp just how much of her childhood was spent forming her into an assassin not a balanced person. When she does choose to do the right thing, it sometimes isnt for the right reasons or not clearly defined ones. She does what she can with difficult circumstances and a flimsy moral compass and shows a fierce loyalty to anyone who does the same.

The Morally Grey Heroine – or the inbetween hero

It is also interesting and sometimes effective when the author balances on the line of an anti-hero. I feel like Ana from Blood Heir is approaching this sometimes.

Full Review Here!https://damselindelightcom.wordpress.com/2024/08/10/blood-heir-by-amelie-wen-zhao/

She is a classic hero, given a dangerous power that people around her fear and punish her for and working to survive and do her best in a world that is rapidly proving to be more complex than she ever imagined. Why I say she sometimes skirts the line is that she is fueled by revenge not justice. However despite this and the fact that her incredibly difficult abusive childhood would lead to the formation of an anti-hero archetype she does cling close to the good side of the world. She still keeps the classic hero character while wielding an ability and a past that leans towards the anti-hero side of things.

Classic Heroine

We’ve all met and loved this hero archetype. They are in so many different books in so many different iterations but they all share one clear thing. They are all clearly on the side of good. They have clear aims, or are at least working towards things they believe in doing. The Classic heroine doesnt have to be boring or predictable – they can still have huge character growth but they always represent the morality of the story and are good. The Classic heroine is someone like Elisa in Rae Carsons Fire and Thorns.

Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

Are we also losing something that is a crucial element in storytelling?

By focusing on villain backstories and morally grey being romancifed and fantasy heroines evolving to balance on the edge of evil are we losing something key in storytelling?

One of the first fantasy series I really loved and reread over and over and over was Eragon by Christopher Paolini. Eragon the eponymous main character of the Inheritance Cycle is a very classic hero and I loved that. He still had complexities in his character, but the plot and world was so rich that the main conflict didn’t have to be in his character. Throughout the four book series he has his ups and downs character wise but I certainly didn’t worry he was going to abandon his duties and the right thing.

HOWEVER – (there is always a however) – We do have an anti-hero. Murtagh is a classic anti-hero. He has the dark past and has made mistakes, usually because his circumstances were so complex that the reader doesnt even know what they would do in that situation. Yet he does have a streak of good! We dont know when its going to appear or disappear or for how long, but he is a complex character. Paolini does explore complex characters incredibly well in general – the leader of the Urgals, Galbatorix and Murtagh all can be seen as villains, victims and freedom fighters all in different lights.

So I do think that anti-heroes are interesting and engaging but I also love the classic hero! Anti-heroes dont necessarily need to be the main character – I would like to put out the opinion that sometimes having a supporting character who is an anti-hero shows just how strong and stalwart the classic hero is for sticking close to their morals. Whether all heroes do end up sacrificing their morals and values and becoming closer in their mindset to the villain to be able to defeat them is another question entirely. One persons terrorist is another persons freedom fighter is a popular saying and I would like to bookify it – “One characters hero is another persons antagonist”. I may do another blog post on this in the future because it is a really interesting thing!

So what do you think? Are villain backstories that make all villains anti-heroes interesting? Do you prefer Anti-Heroes or the Classic Hero?

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The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

13+

Okay so I admit I was a little wary going in. Its one of those books that everyone either loves or hates (and they ping pong back from review to review) so I wasnt sure I was going to enjoy it. BUT! I did. Its not my usual genre – its contempory mystery thriller with a subplot of romance that I fear is going to become a love triangle but I’m suspecting it’ll be an excellent one. From the back I thought it would be more of a light easy read – a few puzzles thrown in and a bit like a game of Cluedo with four brothers every review goes on about OR a dark thriller about truely how far the rich would go to keep their wealth and power.

Avery is quite a stereotypical lead and we can understand her character very quickly. Its needed because the rest of the characters have layers upon layers and yet nothing. Her best friend Maxine’s odd swearing got a little on my nerves. Instead of using the actual words she substituted them them frequently. I almost wish that she had just said the words, I found myself having to figure out what her convoluted swearing substitutions actually meant. That said I did like how Avery was called out on her self absorbed behavior – the mc often has the most drama, but that is no reason not to know your best friends boyfriends name.

The four brothers felt a little samey but it was really interesting to see just how far the machinations of their grandfather went. Tobias Hawthorne was truly either a genius or a twisted psychopath and I cant decide if he was both. Greyson, Nash, Jameson and Xander have been pitted against each other constantly as children in these challenges and games. The old man would set up these complex riddles for them to follow, and in the end the boys were encouraged to backstab and betray each other to get to the answer first.

The supporting characters were interesting and I wish that Skye the mother got more page time, it would be interesting to hear her side of the really unjust inheritance system and toxic grandfather whom pitted everyone against each other.

The world is well…this one. Usually in fantasy/dystopian I talk about the world building and lore but because its contempory I’m going to talk about the locations. Hawthorne House is the perfect setting – all those tunnels and passages and just how deep Tobias Hawthornes plan runs inside the bones of the house is incredible. I wish we had got more time at the private school, it felt like Avery barely dipped her toe into that world but the book does take place over less than a week so I’m just hoping for more in the next book.

The plot was interesting. Overall it was complex and many layered but the solution was found very easily. This is because the plot was entirely engineered by Tobias Hawthorne and we as the reader have no clue about his motivations yet. I felt Avery was a little swept away and confused (understandably) by her new world and it is really interesting just how easily she is manipulated. In a lot of books the character either doesnt realise they are being manipulated until they are told, or does a cynics stand against it and likely ends up in some kind of plot point anyway. However Avery was realistically stranded with an unreliable sister (Libby whom I do like but she isnt in the best place to help Avery) in a out of state manor with people who detest her.

Romance is the one thing I am not sure how I feel about. Jameson and Avery appear to be getting into a relationship but then not at the same time (I am so glad the DNA test came back quickly tho) and the other characters romance is all in the past.

Emily is the main subplot point that guides the main plot. Its interesting to wonder if Tobias was intentionally bringing her back up or if it was accidental. Either way, Emily as a character serves as the warning for what Avery could become. She had two of the Hawthorne boys, Jameson and Grayson and in the end she loved both and neither because she wanted the experience of being a millionaire more than the boys. Avery is juxtaposed against Emily with a few key differences.

Plot – 4/5

World – 3/5 – I dont know what it is but I just didnt grasp the world quite as well as usual despite the fact I live on the same planet.

Characters – 4/5

Romance – 3/5 – Sweet Romance – hardly there to be honest but i can feel the love triangle coming on.

Things to be aware of: Death, manipulation, domestic abuse (none on the page but mentioned)

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The Beginning by Jenna Elizabeth Johnson

11+B

This book is the second in the Oescienne series and it just builds on the world and characters that were established in book 1! This one follows Jahrra from about twelve to seventeen and see as she grows and develops in her character with the trials that are put against her.

We get to see the world developed more as Jahrra travels to different places within it and we get to see even more of Denaeh, the Mystic. I love Denaeh, she is a complex character who often goes against what other characters think is right for Jahrra and tries to slowly prepare Jahrra for the reveal of the Prophecy which is looming. She disagrees with Hroombra and Jaxx about keeping Jahrra’s race a secret from her, but it is also interesting that she doesnt outright tell her. I cant say any more because of spoilers but she is such an interesting character!

Jahrra still doesnt know that she’s human, and the Crismon King’s influence is slowly spreading into the sheltered world Jahrra lives in. It is a really interesting portrayal of a fantasy character being raised. It is quite common for them to either have been raised in the capital, fully aware of their power or to have been raised on a farm somewhere in the middle of nowhere. However Jahrra is raised being already trained and turned into the hero that Oescienne needs. Sometimes I am literally begging her to take a step back and think about why she is being prepared for such random things.

One of the facets of Jahrra’s character is her stubbornness and I think this plays into a lot of her interactions with the characters, she stubbornly hates Jaxx (but lets be honest he doesnt help at all there and is very antagonistic), she stubbornly tries to prove over and over that she is as good as Eydeth and Ellysian (the Resnai bullies) by completing challenges that should be impossible. She also is stubbornly trusting despite other people’s warnings. Her friends are wary of Denaeh, but Jahrra trusts her almost blindly despite proof to the contrary. However I do enjoy her stubbornness because it comes from a place of love, not arrogance like a lot of fantasy leads.

World – 4/5 – In the next book we get to see so much more of it and it is sooooo good!

Plot – 4.5 /5 – It starts coming together in this book as we start to go on a more classic heroine’s journey towards her realisation.

Characters – 5/5 – and on a separate note Denaeh may have won a whole extra point for her mysterious and yet in a way oddly trustworthy actions.

Romance – NA

Things to be aware of: The bullying from the last books continues into this book and earns it a B because it steps up a bit. There is death and grief like the last book.

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Confectioner’s Guild by Claire Luana

13+

This book is so beautiful!

I read it a few years ago, and am on my third reread now. Its a fresh take on a fantasy guild, because they use confectionery (cakes and biscuits and all the bakery good things!) instead of being an assassin guild or a elements guild. The world building is incredibly natural and smooth and we are given all the information we need to know just by the character interacting with the everyday things around her. We also get two maps at the beginning (of at least the ebook version), one of the world and one of the city which is always lovely to have. It is not necessarily an unusual world, and but the presence of the cooking guilds is certainly the thing that has bump the world rating up.

The book starts with Wren piping cupcakes and then coming out of the back to hear a stranger questioning the bakery’s owner about the cupcakes. We get our first impression of just how strong the guild’s power over the city is when Master Oldritch admits that cupcakes are their “territory” but that he has a few friends that dont mind him having a play around with the frosting. I enjoy having a heroine whom starts with at least some idea of her power, Wren knows more than just the basics of baking which means she can instantly step believably into more powerful confections.

This is almost a historical murder mystery meets fantasy and the plot does waver a little in the middle I felt as Wren almost loses track of the mystery side of things but I did enjoy the mystery set in a fantasy world.

Characters – 3.5/5 – I enjoyed the characters, honestly the main character Wren isnt my favourite but she didnt annoy me because she does solve the mystery step by step alongside the reader. They all felt realistic to me and my feelings towards them changed over the course of the story. And I LOVE Pike, I feel like he would make an amazing mmc for another novel. Sable also is an intriguing character and I’d love to delve deeper into her backstory.

World – 4/5 – it doesn’t deviate from the classic fantasy world and there are very few locations within the story and they are all in the city Maradis so we don’t get to see much of the world. But if we include the magic-system in the world then it gives it a whole extra point!

Romance – 3.5/5 – Sweet Romance -Its a very mild romance, I’d say only 12+ romance wise and their relationship isnt developed enough for me to fully decide if I like them or not. The secret of the Gift is something that I am going to enjoy watching play out though.

Plot  – 3/5 – I enjoyed it, even on my reread it kept me guessing and I was looking for all the clues but it does dip in the middle as Wren almost forgets the axe hanging over her head because no one around her is really talking about it. It is interesting how all the characters (with the exception of Hale and Sable) basically just move on and ignore it – it shows the power of how they assume that there will be justice fairly given because they are the rich elite and dont consider that Wren wont because she doesnt have those connections.

Things to be aware of: Some sexism and its consequences concerning inheritance which was very interesting to read, mentions of SA but none on the page or to the main character and it isnt a main theme, the mc observes a girl being told by an older female relative to “drop a few pounds” but thinks the girl looks perfect anyway. Torture but none of it on the page. There are several references – both wrongly and rightly – to characters sleeping around. Overall there are several little things to be aware of but I honestly wouldnt say any of them are overdone or misplaced and it doesnt add a B.

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Equality and Power

Something I have really been thinking about lately is that a lot of YA (and adult) books market both romance interests as being equal just because they could kill each other. In a lot of very popular books, ones I have enjoyed myself, the power balance is supposedly equal between the fmc and the mmc because they could kill each other. No matter if this is unrealistic, often one of them has had an incredibly in depth amount of training and the other one is still dabbling their toes in their pool of power. That is one of the basics that I really enjoy in two of my favourite couples, Sam and Celaena from Throne of Glass, and Paedyn and Kai from Powerless (the later is complex tho with a few other factors like that he has a much higher social standing than her and more resources so its not equal, it just a step towards it)

However being able to kill each other and being equals both in the relationship and in power are very different things. If the fmc is young, has only just inherited her kingdom, is struggling with the grief of losing her parents/sibilings/mentor, has a war brewing on her borders, is insecure in her own grasp of her countries economic and millitary powers and does not have the support of the people and nobility then she is NOT equal to a secure king whom has been ruling for several years, is excepted and stable in his rule and knows the ins and outs of his kingdom. Of course, it is a little bit murkier than that in most books, especially as they tend to give the fmc a shedload of unpredictable power that somehow makes her the chosen one and often make the mmc the key to securing her kingdoms survival but the basics remain.

They are not equals if they do not share the same emotional and social support (often main characters can be quite alone in their stories without parents/mentors or even friends they can rely on. this means that they latch onto the love interest as the only person they can trust, but they often cant quite trust them because plot reasons. By social support I mean social standing, the prince/princess falls in love with the commoner story is very very common in its different iterations, but is that a balanced and equal relationship if one has the power to completely destroy the others life/family if they dont do what they want?

They are not equals if she relies on him for something – in the book i am reading now she literally relies on him to prove her innocent otherwise she will hang! This does not make an equal power dynamic and for the rest of the relationship there is always going to be the thing is she only staying with him because of some kind of unspoken expectations?

I am so tired of reading books where the characters are constantly described as being eachothers equals, but in reality one (to be honest usually the mmc but I have read it the other way around and it is equally toxic) is incredibly more powerful than the other one in social standing or money or power or just experience. It is one of the reasons I always steer clear of any books marketed as boss/employee or age gap because that is the most obvious power inequality in the fiction world. Its not just in strict Romance too, in fantasy romance and in paranormal romance and in genres that dont even have romance as a big thing in it! At some point in practically every YA book I have read they end up in an unequal power dymanic.

Lets take a genre – paranormal. I admit I havent read many truly exceptional books in paranormal yet because I have only just started reading it so any recs would be great! But back to the genre. Vampires/werewolves/fae are a complex and interesting (and usually) immortal races but some how they so often end up dating the young school or college aged girl. This is a classic example of how power dynamics can be skewed towards one of the characters almost as a genre defining milestone. But it doesnt have to be why cant vampires date other vampires? or other immortals? why has this power dynamic become such a staple of the genre when it isnt even really want the genre is.

Sometimes I even really like the couple! sometimes i am rooting for them to get together! When the book is so strong in other areas it can be overlooked I do but it is still there.

Secrets – especially identity secrets – also can end up really mismatching the power dynamic of a couple. If the reader knows that one of the characters did something that is completely unforgivable to the morals of their love interest, or that their secret is going to make them view them completely differently then it is really hard not just to hate that trope. Secrets/miscommunication can be so so good if got right, really interesting points in relationships when they open up (and I am talking platonic relationships too) or highlight a stress area that is always going to be between the characters then its perfect! it works so well and gives their relationship weight and complexity. But if it tips over into one character is keeping a secret which gives them huge power over the other then that is really not equality.

The thing about reading a novel book is that no book (at least that I have read) has completely no problems. They all have small things, and I can pass over those, usually little things here and there don’t bother me. But the power inequality between especially romantic interests has been driving me up the wall lately because it is just so rampant. I have to say that is what I enjoy in middle grade and books that arent based on romance and it only comes in much much later.

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Changeling by Molly Harper

13+

I can honestly say this book took me by surprise. From the title Changeling I was expecting quite a rustic fae story that would be closer to a classic fantasy mixed with a fairytale but Changeling combines several genres in an intriguing world that we only just start to explore. The world is a delightfully classic dystopian world mixed with witchy academia and it is set in England!! Most dystopian novels, Hunger Games, Red Queen, Divergent are set in North America but this one is set in North England which is just a little world thing I love!

Sarah is a Snipe – a powerless human whom works as a servant in the house of the Winters, a powerful witch family. In return for her and her entire family’s servitude they are protected from some of their vulnerability of being magic-less in a rigid society where magic determines your social class. The Winters and the rest of their social peers are called Guardians but it is clear to the reader this is rigid oppression despite the fact that this is apparently to protect the Snipes. This is the system we are introduced to at the beginning, which Sarah doesn’t even dream of questioning. It is quite a classic dystopian class system, people divided by powerful and not, but one of the most interesting things is how Sarah being given power is approached.

A lot of books when a girl/boy from the lower classes is suddenly given a noble power they are swept up to the noble class immediately as soon as they and anyone else finds out. However Sarah has actually had her magic muffled and oppressed her whole life hence her sickly weak stature which is one of the first things that gets mentioned. Her physical appearance as she gets healthy is a classic physical example of her power growing but back to the magic oppression! It is really interesting because it is more realistic. Of course someone would have figured it out and the natural reaction to something that would shake the roots of a world that you are already surviving in (and I suspect by Snipe standards their family would argue they were thriving. all of their children were literate and worked a good stable job with a Guardian family and they were able to live off site which is something that is prized) but they are still very oppressed and Sarah’s mother can acknowledge that enough to do something about her daughters power.

While its a complex moral issue from the reader – should you truly oppress a child’s power to the point of them being extremely weak and fragile just so they dont rock the boat? To the Snipes it would be a black and white issue, and the Winters reaction is certainly more balanced that some Guardian’s reactions would have be.

I wont give any more details because then they lean into spoilers! But this mix of classic dystopian and the popular witchy academia with a lean into the classism within classes and the desperation within politics is such a memorable read!

World – 5/5 stars – i have gushed about it the whole of my review

Characters – 3.5/5 – they are quite classic characters and Sarah isnt an unusual Chosen One but i did enjoy them even if some of the female characters leaned a little into archetypes. Also I loved that Sarah struggled so realistically with the new subjects except the one she had come across in her previous life. Harper really managed to show how much information is imparted to children even before they are technically ‘taught’ magic just in the political expectations and world knowledge

Romance – Soft Romance – 4/5 for what is done, it is very mild and not even a proper subplot but there is an interesting representation of a one sided toxic relationship that developed from an innocent crush into something that really derailed that characters life.

Plot – 4/5 – it is quite a simple plot line up until the end, but I enjoyed it and it held up through the reread!

Things to be aware of: there is some bullying but that is very common in academia books. There is some fantasy violence, but in quite small doses and nothing to add that B. I would say that you could read it a little earlier if you wanted it just depends on when you would enjoy it the most. There is some betrayal, and mentions of necromancy but it isnt very violent which is why it hasnt got a B.

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Zahrah the Windseeker by Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu

12+

I have read this book several times over the last few years and every time the vivid world and courage of Zahrah has returned it instantly to my reread pile.

In general, I dont read a lot of sci-fi, but this one stands out from everything I have read both in that genre and in general because of the world of Ginen and the kingdom of Ooni. It is vivid and detailed and in places very similar to earth (and they mention earth as a ‘legend’ which might be one of the best and memorable worldbuilding details I have read yet) but with a sense of otherness that really defines the sci-fi genre. All the technology in Ooni is made using plants which I love! Even the library is made up of a giant plant. Even the computers grow with the child, as they are plants, and their leafboards grow to perfectly fit the child they are growing for. I love all these tiny little details that make the world so vivid.

Zahrah has dada – vines growing in her hair – which sets her apart from her peers at school and causes her to be bullied in the beginning. As the story progresses, we learn there are more to the dada than just vines as Zahrah grows up and matures. It is a classic character arc, but one that is portrayed beautifully and believably and freshly. One of the things that can be difficult with a story that is focused on a physical Quest is that the characters become stagnant or do not have any character development past their acceptance of the quest. However, this book neatly avoids all the pitfalls and allows Zahrah to grow alongside and separately from her quest in the greeny jungle to find an egg to save her friend who is in a coma despite the fact that no nobody goes deep into the forest and there are horrific stories of people who even go on the outskirts.

Characters – 5/5 stars – They are all rounded and realistic and everyone around Zahrah has their own stories that dont rely on hers (especially the frog! I love a good talking animal and the pink frog is the best)

World – 1000/5 stars – I have gushed about it enough, but honestly this world is so refreshing to read as it isnt based on a pseudo-european medieval land but instead Nigerian myths.

Romance – NA

Plot  – 5/5 stars – its perfect. just perfect.

This is honestly one of the books I think everyone should read between the ages of 10 – 13. Go read it!

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