Genre: Fantasy

Review – Hemlock & Silver

Posted June 5, 2025 by Nicky in Reviews / 4 Comments

Review – Hemlock & Silver

Hemlock & Silver

by T. Kingfisher

Genres: Fantasy
Pages: 368
Rating: five-stars
Synopsis:

Healer Anja knows little of politics but much of poisons. When she is summoned to treat the mysterious illness afflicting the king’s daughter, she finds herself against the clock, desperate to track down the source of the poison killing Princess Snow. But the chance discovery of a strange alternate world inside a magic mirror leads Anja to darker discoveries, including what really happened to Snow’s dead sister, Rose, and why their mother seemingly went mad and cut out her heart.

Aided by a taciturn bodyguard, a narcissistic cat, and a late Renaissance understanding of the scientific method, Anja must navigate the mysteries of the mirror world before the dark queen that dwells within rises to threaten them all.

I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Welp, Hemlock & Silver is a very, very T. Kingfisher sort of book. If I’d read it blind, I think I’d have picked it for a Kingfisher novel, because it has her hallmarks: very inventive interpretation of a source story while adding her own characters, a lot of warmth, and of course a central middle-aged female character who is absolutely capable, if a bit out of her depth.

That’s not to say this is a retread of other books by Kingfisher: her interpretation of the Snow White story is its own thing (and though it includes Rose Red, it’s not the “Snow White and Rose Red” story I know; closer to the Snow White story people know best through Disney). Anja and her efforts at applying the scientific method in this fairytale/medieval-technology setting are recognisable as being Kingfisher’s work, but Anja’s her own person too. I loved the scenes where she gets absolutely fascinated by a new discovery — she and I probably have some things in common!

I liked the characters a lot, including some of the side characters like Lady Sorrel, and of course, Grayling. Some of the concepts were super cool, too, with a very original monster concept about which I won’t say too much.

I did want to hit Anja with a pillow about one conclusion she’d jumped to, though…

If you’re a fan of Kingfisher, you’ll love it; if you’ve never tried it, it strikes me as a pretty good place to start.

Rating: 5/5

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Review – The Other World’s Books Depend on the Bean Counter, manga vol 1

Posted June 5, 2025 by Nicky in Reviews / 0 Comments

Review – The Other World’s Books Depend on the Bean Counter, manga vol 1

The Other World's Books Depend on the Bean Counter (manga)

by Kazuki Irodori, Yatsuki Wakutsu

Genres: Fantasy, Manga, Romance
Pages: 180
Series: The Other World's Books Depend on the Bean Counter (manga) #1
Rating: three-stars
Synopsis:

Once upon a time, in the not too distant past, a holy maiden was summoned. Not just any holy maiden-one hailing from modern Japan. But this story is not her story. This is the tale of the humble accountant, Kondou, who accompanied her and his trials and woes as he accounts in a new world... But no tale is complete without a love interest. And who better to play that role than the handsome knight captain Aresh? Will he begin a personal quest to save said bean counter-who toils around the clock-or is Kondou doomed to be married to his work evermore...?!

The first volume of Kazuki Irodori’s manga adaptation of Yatsuki Wakatsu’s light novel The Other World’s Books Depend on the Bean Counter is pretty fun. I like the character designs, I find it interesting that I trust almost no one other than Seiichirou and Aresh, and I’m curious where both the relationship and the story of the Holy Maiden are going.

I will say that there’s basically dubious consent sex to save someone’s life here, which is worth knowing about: Aresh cures Seiichirou from an accidental overdose using magic, which he can’t tolerate either, and then has to “familiarise Seiichirou with his magic” (with close contact) in order to save his life from that. He does try to obtain consent, but it’s not clear that Seiichirou understands. I wonder how this bit comes across in the light novel; it’s fairly skated over in the manga, beyond a few scenes. It doesn’t seem like Seiichirou hates it or anything, and he still has some room to protest, but still, if you don’t like that kind of scenario or find it triggering, it’s useful to know.

It’s hard to evaluate exactly what I think of this series yet, but I’m looking forward to reading more and wondering about the light novel (which may contain some more detail and context), so it’s a good start for me!

Rating: 3/5

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Review – Advocate

Posted May 29, 2025 by Nicky in Reviews / 0 Comments

Review – Advocate

Advocate

by Daniel M. Ford

Genres: Fantasy, Mystery
Pages: 496
Series: The Warden #3
Rating: three-stars
Synopsis:

Aelis de Lenti is back on her home turf, but it's not quite as welcoming as she remembered....

Recalled from Lone Pine to investigate claims of murder by magic against her mentor—legendary Warden Bardun Jacques—Aelis takes to the streets of the grand city of Lascenise, and plumbs the deepest secrets of the Lyceum to clear his name. Certain of her success, she doesn't count on thieves, subterranean labyrinths, or the assassins that dog her steps from the moment she leaves her tower.

Behind all of it lurks a ring of unknown wizards who can seemingly reach anyone with their magic. Without knowing who she can trust, Aelis must gather what allies she can to unravel the web of intrigue, murder, smuggling, and theft originating in the halls of magic power. With an old friend from her college days, a war-haunted gnome thief-catcher, and the advice of her imprisoned advisor, Aelis races to save lives and expose a conspiracy that seeks to change the face of the world.

I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

In some ways, Daniel M. Ford’s Advocate was enfuriating. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still enjoying the story and the world, but everything Aelis’ friends and allies point out to her about not planning ahead, being a bull in a china shop, trampling on other people on her way up — it’s all true, and Aelis hears it and is hurt by it and claims to take it on board… and then keeps doing it!

If she could plan ahead just a little, use her allegedly amazing brain just a bit, she could see so much of this coming, including each of the obvious-as-heck twists at the end.

I want Aelis to be brilliant, once-in-a-generation, able to kick anyone’s ass, but I do want her to earn it. She keeps saying that she has, but then she gets by on vibes, large amounts of money spread around, and what seems like frankly unearned loyalty from her friends and family. She is a good healer, and I mean both technically skilled and driven to help people regardless of their status, station or feelings toward her — even when they’ve wronged her. She’s also loyal to Bardun Jacques, her teacher, but unfortunately to the point of stepping on everyone else’s faces to help him (including people she also owes loyalty). She doesn’t deserve Miralla’s friendship, in particular. And she sees literally nothing coming until way too late.

Sometimes Ford does lampshade this by having her friends say so, but they remain her friends and support her cause and forgive her, no matter what happens, so it doesn’t have much bite.

The more I think about it, the more annoying I found this in Advocate. Aelis just isn’t learning, and we’re three books in. I’d read the next book, because the magic systems of this world are cool, and Aelis’ passion for being a warden and serving people is enjoyable to read about… but in the next book I need to see Aelis face some actual consequences or grow up, or I might have to be done with the series.

It was cool to see the Lyceum, learn more about some of the Archmagisters, and see a bit of the world outside of Lone Pine, though.

Rating: 3/5

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Review – Drake Hall

Posted May 25, 2025 by Nicky in Reviews / 0 Comments

Review – Drake Hall

Drake Hall

by Christina Baehr

Genres: Fantasy
Pages: 203
Series: The Secrets of Ormdale #2
Rating: three-stars
Synopsis:

Edith’s ancient home is full of secrets
and dragons are the least of them.

As the new dragon keeper in the hidden valley of Ormdale, Edith expects her first dragon mating season to involve venomous bites and amorous wyverns. She doesn’t expect to find herself growing closer to an inconveniently appealing suitor next door, or to stumble upon a dragon poacher lurking in the outbuildings, or to uncover a family scandal in the Abbey.

Fortunately, Edith has a mentor to help her sort things out, the spellbinding Helena Drake of Drake Hall. Or does Helena harbour secrets of her own?

For Edith, the dragons were always going to be the easy part.

Christina Baehr’s Drake Hall is the second book of the series, and I think it got off the ground a bit faster than the first book — certainly I didn’t stall partway through reading, and felt pretty impelled through it. I did feel a bit cringy about certain aspects, and I’m not sure what’s going to happen when her cousin finds out what Edith’s been writing exactly (feels like a prime moment for some stupid misunderstanding).

It was definitely interesting to see Edith ending up somewhat in opposition to a particular character; it’s not something I’d been expecting, from the build-up, though we got hints in that direction pretty quickly in this installment.

I’m not quite sold on the potential romance, still, but there does now feel like there’s some space for it to grow, so… we’ll see!

Overall it feels a bit like an episode, or a part of a bigger book, rather than a standalone novel (in some ways, at least) — I’m glad I have the next one to continue onto.

Rating: 3/5

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Review – The All-Nighter, vol 1

Posted May 23, 2025 by Nicky in Uncategorized / 4 Comments

Review – The All-Nighter, vol 1

The All-Nighter

by Chip Zdarsky, Jason Loo, Paris Alleyne, Aditya Bidikar

Genres: Fantasy, Graphic Novels
Pages: 136
Series: The All-Nighter #1
Rating: three-stars
Synopsis:

Welcome to The All-Nighter, the only diner in town where you can get coffee and a meal from sunset to sunrise! The staff are friendly (kind of) and happy to serve you (sometimes), and it would never cross their minds to drink their customers’ blood


Alex is bored—flipping burgers for strangers all night is no way for a vampire to live. But he and his fellow vampires Joy, Cynthia, and Ian have agreed to blend into human society. Inspired by superhero movies, one of few passions in his un-life, Alex decides to don a cape and start fighting bad guys. But his decision will have bigger consequences than he realizes—for himself and for everyone he wants to protect.

I read all three volumes of Chip Zdarsky’s The All-Nighter in pretty short order, so apologies if I get the events of each book a little overlapped! The basic premise of the series is that stories have the power to create the creatures they discuss — Dracula came into being for real thanks to Bram Stoker, Frankenstein’s monster due to Mary Shelley, etc. They remember their fictional pasts, but they’ve also lived on since then. And there are, of course, rules. They must not reveal themselves, or The Takers come.

So there’s a bunch of vampires running a diner, appearing only at night, and trying to fake that they’re just humans to avoid a run-in with The Takers. This isn’t always a very satisfying life, though, and one of them (Alex) ends up giving into his urge to show off his strength and power by playing the hero and rescuing someone. It turns out to be a loophole: he can pretend to be a superhero, instead, a vigilante hero who works at night, Batman-style…

And obviously things go wrong. There’s a found-family situation at the diner and of course they get dragged into it, though most of them (other than Joy) aren’t fleshed out much in this first volume, which makes it a bit more difficult to care about that.

In the end, they all come together to solve the mess Alex has caused as all kinds of creatures come out of the woodwork using the same loophole of superheroes and supervillains… but obviously the genie can’t be put back in the bottle.

Rating: 3/5

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Review – Necrobane

Posted May 19, 2025 by Nicky in Reviews / 0 Comments

Review – Necrobane

Necrobane

by Daniel M. Ford

Genres: Fantasy
Pages: 366
Series: The Warden #2
Rating: four-stars
Synopsis:

Aelis de Lenti, Lone Pine's newly assigned Warden, is in deep trouble. She has just opened the crypts of Mahlgren, releasing an army of the undead into the unprotected backwoods of Ystain.

To protect her village, she must unearth a source of immense Necromantic power at the heart of Mahlgren. The journey will wind through waves of undead, untamed wilderness, and curses far older than anything Aelis has ever encountered. But as strong as Aelis is, this is one quest she cannot face alone.

Along with the brilliant mercenary she's fallen for, her half-orc friend, and a dwarven merchant, Aelis must race the clock to unravel mysteries, slay dread creatures, and stop what she has set in motion before the flames of a bloody war are re-ignited.

I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I’d meant to dig into Daniel M. Ford’s Necrobane right away after reading the first book, but somehow it didn’t happen. Fortunately, I felt like I was able to plunge back into the world really well — I don’t feel like I could explain to you the magic system of the world in any detail, even after just finishing the book, but it feels lived in. I want to be clear: it’s not a criticism! I feel kind of like the friends and acquaintances Aelis has, watching from the outside her very academic understanding of what she does. There are rules here, it’s just that I don’t know them, and that’s handled well by the story.

The story picks up more or less where we left off, with Aelis hurrying to deal with the aftermath of her actions in The Warden. We get more of Tun and Maurenia as characters, and more cool magic, and a twist that I basically saw coming (though I’m pretty sure you’re supposed to, it was so obvious that the tension was more in waiting for what would come of it, rather than whether something would come of it).

Some of the things that irritated me a bit in the first book, like Aelis’ tendency to talk to herself, were somewhat better here? Or rather, she kept doing so, but it felt less obtrusive and more natural.

I do feel a bit meh about her lack of forward planning, though; it feels like it allows for a somewhat sloppy plot (though it probably feels that way because it’s third-person limited, very tight to Aelis). It doesn’t take a super clever opponent to have her run herself into a trap, but we’re supposed to believe Dalius is very cunning, very clever, and Aelis can still run rings around him while just reacting to every situation rather than planning ahead. Even when she deliberately charges into a trap, her plan is basically “be really fast and strong”. Great. It’s entertaining reading, don’t get me wrong, but it does all feel a bit ad hoc.

In any case, the ending is rather a cliffhanger — some of Aelis’ problems are gone, but now she has a whole new one, which I definitely didn’t predict. I’m keen to pick up The Advocate soon.

Rating: 4/5

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Review – A Letter from the Lonesome Shore

Posted May 18, 2025 by Nicky in Reviews / 4 Comments

Review – A Letter from the Lonesome Shore

A Letter from the Lonesome Shore

by Sylvie Cathrall

Genres: Fantasy
Pages: 384
Series: The Sunken Archive #2
Rating: five-stars
Synopsis:

The charming conclusion to the Sunken Archive duology, a heart-warming magical academia fantasy filled with underwater cities, romance of manners and found family, perfect for fans of Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries.

Former correspondents E. and Henerey, accustomed to loving each other from afar, did not anticipate continuing their courtship in an enigmatic underwater city. When their journey through the Structure in E.'s garden strands them in a peculiar society preoccupied with the pleasures and perils of knowledge, E. and Henerey come to accept--and, more surprisingly still, embrace--the fact that they may never return home.

A year and a half later, Sophy and Vyerin finally discover one of the elusive Entries that will help them seek their siblings. As the group's efforts bring them closer to E. and Henerey, an ancient, cosmic threat also draws near...

I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I was a huge fan of Sylvie Cathrall’s debut, so I was very excited to read the follow-up, A Letter from the Lonesome Shore. For the majority of the book, it builds up the little mysteries more and more, and keeps up the same format of letters and documents relating to E. Cidnosin and Henery Clel (both letters between them, and letters relating to their siblings’ search for them).

For the first little bit of the book, I wasn’t quite sure. I didn’t know who the characters were and what their involvement in E. and Henery’s story was, so it seemed like the book might be taking a step back from them, which I didn’t love. But soon enough the letters between E. and Henery began, and their love winds gently through the story — along with the love their siblings have for them, and the determination of Vyerin and Sophy to find them.

I would say that the ending didn’t quite work for me just in that there were so many mysteries built up and not discussed that it broke the tension a little to have anything revealed. You know that principle where the monster in a horror movie is scariest when the director doesn’t show it directly? Like that. I did like the solution of the mysteries, and how the whole book ended: it’s entirely fitting! But the building up of the mysteries did add a lot, and it was weird once things were revealed and out in the open. It was satisfyingly weird, but not “weird beyond my wildest dreams of weird”, which is what all the obfuscation was beginning to make me feel like it ought to be.

Still, I feel like that’s rather a quibble against all else I love about this book. I adore E., I love that her (literal) OCD is presented, and not treated as a superpower nor as something that will prevent her ever achieving any of her aims, but just as a significant and disabling part of her life. Likewise Henery’s anxieties. Having at least three asexual characters with varying degrees of interest in romance is also a lovely thing.

Overall, it’s a lovely, lovely duology — I assume it’s over, given where it’s left, but who knows…

Rating: 5/5

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Review – A Mouthful of Dust

Posted May 15, 2025 by Nicky in Reviews / 4 Comments

Review – A Mouthful of Dust

A Mouthful of Dust

by Nghi Vo

Genres: Fantasy
Pages: 128
Series: The Singing Hills Cycle #6
Rating: four-stars
Synopsis:

Wandering Cleric Chih of Singing Hills and their hoopoe companion Almost Brilliant come to the river town of Baolin chasing stories of a legendary famine. Amid tales of dishes served to royalty and desserts made of dust, they discover the secrets of what happens when hunger stalks the land and what the powerful will do to hide their crimes.

Trapped in the mansion of a sinister magistrate, Chih and Almost Brilliant must learn what happened in Baolin when the famine came to call, and they must do so quickly... because the things in the shadows are only growing hungrier.

I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Pretty much anything by Nghi Vo is an auto-read for me, so I grabbed A Mouthful of Dust eagerly. In this one, Chih is looking for the stories of a recent famine, and plunges straight into a clearly fraught local situation. Cannibalism is more or less taken for granted in these situations, and Chih expects to find it, but people have all kinds of secrets around a famine, and the local magistrate definitely wants to hide something — and it… isn’t cannibalism?

This one’s a bit creepy, and it feels like Chih’s definitely in some danger. It feels really short, though: not incomplete, but it’s a small spare mouthful, lean with famine and shame. I’d maybe have liked one or two more stories; maybe I’d have liked a certain character to tell her story to Chih and give her own point of view…

In any case, this also reminded me that I’d really like to reread some of the earlier books in the series. Like the others, it pretty much stands alone once you have the basic concept, but it references the Empress of Salt and Fortune, and that made me remember how long it is since I read the book of that name, and that I’ve half-forgotten her story.

A lovely, lovely series of novellas, though they go some dark places. It’s an amazing concept for a series which lets Nghi Vo explore a whole range of themes and locations.

Rating: 4/5

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Review – A Gentle Noble’s Vacation Recommendation, vol 7

Posted May 13, 2025 by Nicky in Reviews / 0 Comments

Review – A Gentle Noble’s Vacation Recommendation, vol 7

A Gentle Noble's Vacation Recommendation

by Misaki, Momochi, Lamp, Magonote, Sando

Genres: Fantasy, Manga
Pages: 192
Series: A Gentle Noble's Vacation Recommendation #7
Rating: four-stars
Synopsis:

Lizel, the gentle noble from another world, generally spends his time relentlessly pursuing his hobbies and challenging himself inside labyrinths alongside his party. This time, Lizel, Gil, and Eleven stumble upon an arm wrestling contest for a prize that Lizel desperately wants: a new book. Will he be able to convince Single Stroke Gil to enter the contest for him?

And later, when a sudden horde of monsters appears near Marcade, Lizel notices that this isn't any ordinary invasion: these monsters are strategizing and targeting certain areas of the city. Will C-Rank Lizel be able to convince the fellow Adventurers defending Marcade to change their strategy in the face of such an abnormal invasion?

Volume seven of A Gentle Noble’s Vacation Recommendation featured at least five instances of me giggling and taking my ereader to show my wife a page or panel, at least two instances of “platonic” cheek stroking, one “platonic” tucking-of-hair-behind-an-ear and one platonic Lizel-grabbing-Gil’s-hand to beg him to win him a book.

Yep, I continue extremely sceptical about how these books are totally just showing “deep camaraderie”. Which, don’t get me wrong, is a lovely thing, but this doesn’t feel like that. It genuinely seems like Gil and Eleven love Lizel, while Studd and Judge have serious crushes — and their physical intimacies don’t help at all with that, though they’re not the only reason.

I loved that we get several glimpses at Gil fighting, and how very, very overpowered he is. I’m also very curious what Lizel’s up to, overall (the man’s mind is wheels within wheels), and what’s going on with the attack on Marcade.

So, yep, still in love with this series, still wish more people would read it. I do feel at times like explanations are a bit lacking, which is probably part the format and part the translation, plus some cultural stuff (the things that go without saying in a particular culture’s stories, or are heavily implied by something else in the story, may need to be spelled out in that of another, perhaps).

Rating: 4/5

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Review – Carmilla

Posted May 12, 2025 by Nicky in Reviews / 4 Comments

Review – Carmilla

Carmilla

by J. Sheridan Le Fanu

Genres: Classics, Fantasy, Horror
Pages: 122
Rating: three-stars
Synopsis:

In a lonely castle deep in the Styrian forest, Laura leads a solitary life with only her elderly father for company – until a moonlit night brings an unexpected guest to the schloss. At first Laura is glad to finally have a female companion of her own age, but her new friend’s strange habits and eerie nocturnal wanderings quickly become unsettling, and soon a ghastly truth is revealed.

Suffused with gothic horror and sexual tension, Carmilla predated Dracula by 26 years, has inspired generations of writers and is the foundation of the lesbian vampire myth.

J. Sheridan Le Fanu’s Carmilla is a classic, but not one I’d actually read yet, so I picked it up via Serial Reader to get myself acquainted ahead of reading a retelling that I’m curious about. As expected (and fairly typical of a vampire narrative), it’s homoerotic and full of confused desire between the victim and the vampire (in this case Laura and Carmilla), but it’s really open here.

Not a lot happens, the page count mostly occupies itself with building up atmosphere and that tangled, repulsive attraction that Laura has for Carmilla. Though the narrative is from Laura’s point of view, and she wasn’t aware of what was going on at the time, it’s very very obvious, to the point that the clues seem almost too spelled out at times… It’s perfectly readable, but a little long-winded at times.

I’m glad I got round to reading it, but I’m fascinated to see what modern retellings might make of it, more than anything.

Rating: 3/5

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