A gorgeously written historical fiction novel set in a Pompeii brothel, following the life of a cunning and daring enslaved woman named Amara. Enlightening, engaging, and harrowing.
Mythology
Review: Thunder, Blood, and Goats (Tales of the Nine Worlds #1) by Lyra Wolf
Thunder, Blood, and Goats is a novella side story in Lyra Wolf’s The Nine Worlds Rising series (previously titled The Nine Worlds Chronicles). I have been a big fan of this series (read my reviews of the previous books here, under the old series name: Truth and Other Lies [The Nine Worlds Rising #1]; Chaos Rising [The Nine Worlds Rising #2], and this latest release has done nothing to diminish that experience.
Review: Shackled Fates (The Hanged God #2) by Thilde Kold Holdt
The way The Fates were incorporated into the ending had goosebumps rising on my skin. That ending is definitely one of the most memorable ones I’ve read all year!
Review: Sistersong by Lucy Holland
Sistersong by Lucy Holland is heartbreakingly beautiful. I had never heard of ‘The Twa Sisters’ murder folk ballad but looked it up after I finished reading. Sistersong proved to be as evocative as the ballad is.
Review: The Hood (Anti-Matter of Britain Quartet #2) by Lavie Tidhar
The Hood delivers myth and magic with a splatter of sweary violence and comedy in all the right places in what is one of the most unique and masterful reads of 2021.
Review: Northern Wrath by Thilde Kold Holdt
It is that time of year where I’m ramping up my Norse mythology reads in preparation for Spells & Spaceships Norsevember extravaganza. I kicked off a little early this year with Northern Wrath by Thilde Kold Holdt.This is a tale of survival, cunning, and strength amidst the chaos.
Review: The World Maker Parable (Adjacent Monsters #1) by Luke Tarzian
Rhona is a faithful servant of the country Jémoon and a woman in love. Everything changes when her beloved sets the ravenous Vulture goddess loose upon the land. Forced to execute the woman she loves for committing treason, Rhona discovers a profound correlation between morality and truth. A connection that might save her people or annihilate them all…
Review: The Wood Bee Queen by Edward Cox
The Wood Bee Queen by Edward Cox is a standalone fantasy reminiscent of old folktales sprinkled with classic fantasy tropes and some Ancient Greek/Roman mythology homages (or Easter eggs if you like). It is also a portal fantasy, which I haven’t read in quite some time, and that definitely catered to some of the nostalgia from my early teens. Through it, Cox tackles timeless themes of good vs evil, blind religious faith, petty/whimsical gods, and the importance of stories, as well as making one’s own decisions without letting others sway you for their gain.