rep: lesbian mc, sapphic li, side polyam relationship, side sapphic characters
reads like a fairy tale, like a legend, and the most delicious kind at trep: lesbian mc, sapphic li, side polyam relationship, side sapphic characters
reads like a fairy tale, like a legend, and the most delicious kind at that. full of characters who change their minds, who grow as people. and most interestingly with a lesbian heroine who's the mightest of them all & no one really holds it against her....more
rep: lesbian mc, sapphic li tw: past murder, implied murder
it's nice! but i feel like it's trying too hard. would probably work better if it was longerrep: lesbian mc, sapphic li tw: past murder, implied murder
it's nice! but i feel like it's trying too hard. would probably work better if it was longer....more
rep: achillean mc with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, achillean intersex li, achillean side character, Black side character tw: child abuse, cancer, past off rep: achillean mc with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, achillean intersex li, achillean side character, Black side character tw: child abuse, cancer, past off page death, drug addiction, violence
the whole book could be summed up by that one siken quote:
you're in a car with a beautiful boy, / and you're trying not to tell him that you love him, and you're trying to / choke down the feeling, and you're trembling, but he reaches over and / he touches you, like a prayer for which no words exist, and you feel your / heart taking root in your body, like you've discovered something you / don't even have a name for....more
this is comfort food, okay. this is the content i've been craving ever since i first finished mansfield park all those years ago
yeah, some events arethis is comfort food, okay. this is the content i've been craving ever since i first finished mansfield park all those years ago
yeah, some events are kinda dramatic, and yeah, it's a bit too long and repetitive at times, and the miscommunication trope is horribly done, but the characters are absolutely nailed down perfectly & it does deliver what it promises to deliver!
also it makes mr. crawford extremely romantic & thoughtful towards fanny, chivalrous even, and i think that's sexy...more
rep: lesbian mc, nonbinary lesbian mc, bi side character tw: domestic violence, child abuse, magic requiring self harm, blood, body horror, violence, mrep: lesbian mc, nonbinary lesbian mc, bi side character tw: domestic violence, child abuse, magic requiring self harm, blood, body horror, violence, murder, guns
Review also on Reads Rainbow. ARC provided by the publisher.
Imagine The Great Gatsby, but if Gatsby was a nonbinary lesbian blood witch. That single sentence alone should be enough to convince all the people with good taste to read Wild and Wicked Things, but I can and will say more!
Wild and Wicked Things is very much an adult book, despite the description that seems very in vogue for the current young adult landscape. This isn’t an admonishment of any kind, though, for neither of the literature groups. It’s simply something to be taken into account, when managing your reading expectations. Wild and Wicked Things is a slow book, it takes time to develop the world, the characters, it pushes the plot forward in small steps. And it’s very dark and bloody (figuratively and literally).
The slowness of the book works like a charm (no pun intended), because of May’s writing style. There’s no other word to describe it but lush. It shines like a diamond, every sentence somehow more beautiful than the last. Some descriptions feel truly otherworldly, while others forcefully bring you to the pain & dirt of everyday life. The stylistic choices help create the atmosphere of the scenes themselves.
And given that this is an adult novel, you as the reader have to piece together the world and its rules yourself. You’re given some pieces of information here and there, but only in the way that is natural to the characters existing in said world. No conversations about things all parties already know about, no infodumping in the narrative. No holding your hand. All is as it’s supposed to be in a fantasy book.
The greatest achievement of Wild and Wicked Things are the characters, though. Some of them are terribly selfish, some of them will give all of themselves for others, and all of them are so very, very human. They grow throughout the story, as well, especially Annie. Her journey into confidence, into finding a goal in life, mirrors her lesbian awakening. It’s absolutely spectacular.
Wild and Wicked Things is the kind of book to make you feel things. It’s full to the brim with magic, and yearning, and secrets… It’s not an easy to forget story, instead one that will find a place in your heart, like the characters within who carved a space for themselves in the world with blood & tears & love....more
rep: trans mc, disabled mc, genderfluid side character tw: misgendering, transphobia, violence, blood, murder
a young adult book masquerading as adult wrep: trans mc, disabled mc, genderfluid side character tw: misgendering, transphobia, violence, blood, murder
a young adult book masquerading as adult with some blood & sex. cool concept, very good vibes, but overall, once you actually take a moment to think about the plot, it just feels so hollow and underwhelming. the plot-twists are obvious, the characters rather one dimensional, whole threads abandoned for half a book only to reappear at the most convenient moment, and i don't even wanna talk about the ending! (someone please get riva to therapy.)
anyway, this is mainly a book about a trans man in medieval britain, which! great! but everything about gender feels so very, very modern. i can't explain it, other than the author clearly read a few clichés about coming out as trans and ran with it, instead of trying to root it in, you know, medieval britain. nice at first glance but again, very young adult-esque....more
rep: bi mc, sapphic li, nonbinary side characters, sapphic trans side character tw: gore, immolation, amputation, magic requiring blood/self-harm
a clasrep: bi mc, sapphic li, nonbinary side characters, sapphic trans side character tw: gore, immolation, amputation, magic requiring blood/self-harm
a classic case of "it's not the book, it's me", sadly...more
Review also on my blog. ARC provided by the publisher.
Girl, Serpent, Thorn is revolutionary in more tharep: Persian cast & settings, bi mc, sapphic li
Review also on my blog. ARC provided by the publisher.
Girl, Serpent, Thorn is revolutionary in more than one respect and for that we should all be grateful. It’s a feminist fairy tale for the modern times, even though it’s set in ancient Persia, even though it’s full of magic and monsters.
The plot is influenced by Sleeping Beauty, but at every turn twists the the well known story into something new and unexpected, and extraordinary. The princess isn’t a damsel in distress, she’s a monster and it is she, who does most of the saving. “The evil witch” learns new tricks and gets a backstory. The prince? There’s no prince in this fairy tale; who needs him, when you have a group of women who love each other and would sacrifice everything for one another?
The titular girl (who is also a serpent and a thorn) is poisonous and her curse literally makes it so that anyone who touches her, dies. Not only is that terribly romantic and a great premise for a story, it’s also an incredible concept for a girl character. A young girl who doesn’t have to worry about men touching her without consent? A young girl who doesn’t have to feel afraid of men around her? It’s quite frankly groundbreaking.
The most obvious change between the folk tale and Girl, Serpent, Thorn is the moment the princess falls asleep. They both prick themselves on a finger and draw blood, but the first (original) one does it unknowingly, while Soraya soughts that ending out. And no, she doesn’t magically fall asleep for a hundred years, but it’s a close thing, with the way she loses a vital part of herself in that process.
Girl, Serpent, Thorn isn’t just a retelling of a fairy tale, though. It adds so much to the story, they’re more like cousins thrice removed. And what makes it the most unique, is the Persian setting. Bashardoust created a magical, rich gold world inspired by her own cultural history and the love she poured into it is visible in every little detail.
If you’re looking for a diverse feminist story with a cast of strong yet flawed women, and an intense sapphic relationship at the heart of it, you should definitely start reading Girl, Serpent, Thorn right this second....more
rep: lesbian mc & li tw: past & present torture, lesbophobia, past suicides, blood, drugs
Review also on Reads Rainbow. ARC provided by the publisher.
Threp: lesbian mc & li tw: past & present torture, lesbophobia, past suicides, blood, drugs
Review also on Reads Rainbow. ARC provided by the publisher.
There’s something truly magical about taking fairy tales and reshaping them so that all the questions about the main character’s choices could be pretty much answered with: it’s because they’re gay. There are of course other factors at play here, but this is basically what Malice offers.
What would happen if Maleficent was a lesbian in love with princess Aurora?
The biggest gift Walter offers us isn’t even that both Alyce and Aurora are lesbians, it’s that the love the Dark Grace feels for the princess doesn’t magically turn her into a good person. Yes, it changes her. Or, to be more accurate, it’s the biggest catalyst for the change she undergoes. But it never tries to “cure” her of her evilness. Aurora simply does not see Alyce in that way throughout the book.
There’s also the very ending, though, which is almost impossible to talk about without major spoilers. Suffice to say, the Alyce that you see at the beginning of the novel doesn’t hold a candle to the Alyce you will be lucky to experience in the last chapters. This truly is Alyce’s villain origin story.
It’s easy to say that the lesbian romance is a heart of this book. Even if there were other reasons for Alyce to grow more and more bitter, for the peace in the queendom to become at risk, the ending would simply never happen if Alyce wasn’t in love with Aurora. And the book is very clear about that.
What’s even more groundbreaking, is how intense that relationship is allowed to be. We often talk about how f/f relationships never get to be as real, as troubled, as ship-worthy as m/m ones. There’s always high-stake drama with m/m stories and that emotional drama is what makes them so exciting for the reader. What makes them choose m/m ships as their favourite ones. But Alyce and Aurora? No one is doing it like those two.
So yes, if you want a reasonable explanation as to why the Dark Grace was dark enough to hide princess Aurora in a castle covered in thorns, read Malice. If you want girls taking their destiny into their own hands, read Malice. If you want a lesbian love story that makes the very sky roar, read Malice....more
My initial review for A Curse of Roses was simply “lesbians have won with this one!”, and that’s absolutely true and tells you a lot about what you should expect from this book. But let me expand on that a bit.
First of all, the book might not be using modern sexuality labels, on account of it taking place in 13th century, but it makes it very clear that Yzabel is a lesbian. And this is a major part of the novel, maybe even the most important part: Yzabel coming to terms with being a lesbian.
Because, you see, she grew up with extremely strict christian beliefs; when we meet her she uses a cilice on a daily basis to mortify her flesh and “atone” for her “sins”. Her fasting is caused as much by her literal inability to keep food in her mouth due to the curse, as it is by her following the doctrine of her faith. Her whole life seems to be resolving about the laws put down in the Bible, to the point where no one around her can even understand why she puts herself through such trials. She was brought up a certain way, with the Bible and the talk of martyrdom of her saint aunt, and a magical curse running through her veins - all of which turned her into a pious girl who hated her own flesh and blood.
Her upbringing also means that the thought of women loving other women never crossed her mind. And once it does, she views it through the lenses of her faith: as something sinful. A Curse of Roses does an absolutely brilliant job of talking about this, of showing Yzabel’s struggle to reconcile her desires and the teachings of Christ.
It’s also interesting to note that Yzabel is quicker to forgive others their transgressions (or even admit whatever the society views as such is actually nothing more than a way of life & doesn’t have to be forgiven) than to forgive herself. It’s a great strength of her character, the way she chooses kindness time and time again; the way she doesn’t judge others but instead tries to understand their point of view.
The greatest example of that being Yzabel’s treatment of Denis’ mistress. Not only does Yzabel not resent the girl, she’s actually making sure that the relationship is one based on consent and that the girl isn’t being raped by Denis.
But that strength can also be a flaw, and yes, the narrative does acknowledge that, in two ways. One, Yzabel was called out a few times throughout the story on how treats herself in contrast to how she treats others, and those conversations helped her grow and accept herself. And two, those around Yzabel who wish her harm (or simply wish to exploit her position), use her piousness and her belief that she’s tainted (because of the curse and later because of her attraction to women) to manipulate her.
All this to say that the pacing of the book and the way the plot is handled in general is very smart. It uses characters’ flaws to its advantage, it doesn’t spend unnecessary details on things that Yzabel - the only character from whose perspective we view the world - would not know about. And I do believe that is something that A Curse of Roses should be applauded for. It’s absolutely not bad writing for certain details to only be revealed as very much telling instead of showing, when you take into consideration the POV character had no way of knowing about them before. Yzabel is as much surprised as the reader, and that’s a good thing.
I’ve seen people try to argue that the pacing is actually off, that the book is too slow, that it’s boring and nothing happens for whole chapters, but it seems that those people don’t take one thing into consideration: this is a character driven novel. There’s Yzabel’s curse, there’s magic in other forms, there are prelates stealing from the Portugese crown, there are women being accused of witchcraft, but at the end of the day this is a coming of age story of a catholic lesbian in the 13th century. And when viewed as such? The slow parts make perfect sense.
The fact that A Curse of Roses is focused so much on the characters also means that the romance is great. In some regards, Yzabel and Fatyan are a juxtaposition of each other. Yzabel believing in every word of the Bible instead of her own mind & Fatyan having strong opinions on every subject. Of course, it’s not simply black and white like that, and both of them change, but once again, this is something that even the narrative mentions: the girls complementing each other. And it’s one of the reasons they’re so drawn to each other. Because the attraction is obvious from the first time they meet (not to Yzabel, but to Fatyan and surely to the reader) and it only grows stronger and stronger as they spend more time together, in close proximity.
And yet, the romance actually blossoms very slowly. No, it’s not insta love just because two girls want to be close to one another immediately after meeting. It’s not insta love just because they see beauty in the other and don’t want to let go of that. In fact, it takes most of the book for Yzabel to even accept that she’s a lesbian and that it doesn’t go against God’s wishes. That romance is as much central to the story as Yzabel learning to control her gift, and it’s given all the attention it deserves. And what I love most is that once Yzabel does accept it, there’s no shame in it anymore, to the point of there actually being a sex scene in the later part of the book. Not saying that I want to read about teenagers having sex, but that it’s extremely refreshing to see sapphic girls allowed to have that.
The writing itself is very beautiful, as well. It feels a little bit like poetry at times, it’s full of metaphors. The language is flowery, but not in a way of purple prose, where the meaning is lost for the sake of pretty sentences. More, given the subject at hand, the prose takes some liberties to build a magical atmosphere, heavy with the scent of roses. There are instances where a more natural word order is forgotten to create something poetic from a mundane description. It’s wonderful.
Another argument people seem to be making against A Curse of Roses is that magic isn’t described well enough. Which… is just flat-out not true? In reality, magic is a vital part of the novel and as such is written about often. And not only when Yzabel turns food into flowers, but with other characters as well. There’s a whole discussion at some point about the differences between the magic of Yzabel or Fatyan and the magic of Brites, how the girls simply possess magic but Brites had to learn to perform it. It’s clear, from everything we know about Yzabel, why she feels resentful toward her gift at first; it’s clear why some characters are trying to use magic for evil purposes; it’s clear why a lot of them have to hide the magic at all cost.
But the most outrageous offence I’ve seen against A Curse of Roses is that it’s anti-feminist (coupled later in the review with a statement that Denis was actually a nice guy and that Yzabel was wrong to judge him the way she did, more on which in a second). And I just can’t understand how it’s possible to take that away from a book about a girl who makes sure the mistress of her fiancé actually loves him and is happy, who runs shelters for old and sick prostitutes because she believes they need protection, who is allowed to literally help run a kingdom.
And Denis? Sure, he’s not a villain here, but he didn’t give Yzabel reasons to assume he would be okay with her magic. On the contrary, his views on witchcraft are pretty clear when he imprisons a woman without much evidence against her. And while he might otherwise be a very patient and even caring man, it’s important to remember that Yzabel's mistrust is as much about him as it is about how she herself views her own gift.
This is a very long-winded way of saying that A Curse of Roses is a beautiful tale of century long curses and people using any means available to them to ensure they experience some happiness in life. It’s a wonderful story of a lesbian learning to accept herself, enriched by magic and roses....more
rep: lesbian mc & li tw: blood, fire, torture, death
Review also on Reads Rainbow. ARC provided by the publisher.
Do you ever just sit there longing for rep: lesbian mc & li tw: blood, fire, torture, death
Review also on Reads Rainbow. ARC provided by the publisher.
Do you ever just sit there longing for a Slavic-inspired fantasy book, with names that actually make sense, and where the “Slavic-inspired” part isn’t just an aesthetic but instead is what makes the whole plot and the world work? Boy, do I have a treat for you!
These Feathered Flames has a lot to offer, and the fact that it’s deeply rooted in Russian culture is actually just the tip of the iceberg. (Unless you’re Slavic, of course, in which case it might be my main selling point for you. Basically every single part of the world-building is something you can trace back to things you know from your childhood, and I think that’s beautiful.)
The book centers around two twin sisters and that is the main relationship of the book, despite the fact that both of them also have really interesting love interests. It’s their dynamic that pushes the plot forward, that makes things happen. Both Asya and Izaveta act either because of or in spire of their love for each other. And their love is absolutely obvious, even though one is a Firebird and the other a Queen-to-be and they’re not supposed to actually remember they’re sisters.
But then you have the delicious hate-to-love lesbian romance. Or more accurately, hate-to-something-that-could-bloom-into-love-if-given-a-chance. You need to understand that romance is not a main focus of These Feathered Flames, but it still manages to gift us some absolutely iconic scenes. Including sword fighting.
And the biggest gift of them all: the ending and what it promises the sequel to be. Everything one could possibly want from a book about a Firebird and sisters, if one enjoys angst and powerful women.
If you’re looking for a YA fantasy book with cool world-building, intense relationships, strong main female characters, a side of romance, intrigues, mysteries & betrayals, These Feathered Flames is definitely a book for you. It also has bears!...more
rep: Black mc, Russian bi ace li, Black scs, lesbian sc, bi sc, mixed race (Irish & Ojibwe) bi sc, hard of hearing sc, Ojibwe bi sc, Ojibwe sc, Koreanrep: Black mc, Russian bi ace li, Black scs, lesbian sc, bi sc, mixed race (Irish & Ojibwe) bi sc, hard of hearing sc, Ojibwe bi sc, Ojibwe sc, Korean-American sc tw: violence, guns, blood, off page murder
i have never been this stressed out by reading a book in my life...more
rep: lesbian mc, bi/pan li, side mlm couple, side poc characters
ARC provided by the author.
So, yes. A Rapunzel retelling. A gay Rapunzel retellingrep: lesbian mc, bi/pan li, side mlm couple, side poc characters
ARC provided by the author.
So, yes. A Rapunzel retelling. A gay Rapunzel retelling.
(lesbian voice) thank you!!!
Honestly, I don’t think I’ve even ever read the original fairy tale. Like, sure, I know the story more or less but I can’t really tell you what exactly was changed here. Apart from the obvious romance between two girls part, of course. But I’m pretty sure it’s one of brothers Grimm’s so I don’t really wanna fix that. In any case!! This version is lovely and let’s focus on that.
One of the things I loved most about this, was that Hollis took the parts that were clearly working based solely on the fairy tale logic & made them more realistic. And all this while still sustaining that fairy tale charm. The first example that comes to mind would be that while Valentina did have long hair, she used a rope to escape. Because, you know, it would be impossibly painful for anyone to climb using her hair…
Actually the whole story that unfolds is constantly checked to make sure it makes sense. There’s actual logic at play here and every action has believable consequences. I really appreciate that, it makes the book feel more real & the reader more grounded. And somehow gives the lesbian romance more force by giving it roots in a rational world.
Another great addition to the original is definitely that the princess who rescues our Valentine comes from a country inhabited mostly by PoC. It’s a made-up world so it’s not exactly possible to be more specific but I’m pretty sure they’re at least based on Latinx people. Which. Effortless diversity in a gay romance? Thank you.
And that brings me to my most important point. Heterosexuality is very clearly not the norm in this world. God, I don’t even know how many fantasy novels I’ve read where authors created whole new worlds with new magical races and yet still!!! still felt the need to make homophobia into something natural and needed. Not here! What a relief and a blessing!
Ripped Pages never lets you forget it’s a fairy tale though. By which I mean the way it’s written, is prominent only in this specific genre. It would work amazingly published with rich illustrations on every page. God, I would LOVE to buy that for every single kid I know… But yes, while the writing is very clear and the story being told is very lovely, the whole thing feels maybe not weak but… slim? shallow? It’s too short and too much is going on for us to really connect to any of the characters. They’re not as fleshed out as we could want. We’re left with only descriptions in most cases, honestly. Which is why it would work so well as an actual pictures book for kids!! Their imagination would fill all the gaps, add all the needed depth to the story and to the characters.
I don’t think that’s a flaw, just to be clear. Hollis says from the beginning it’s a fairy tale retelling and as such it’s Perfect. It’s just that when we’re judging it by other books standards, it falls a little bit flat. Still enjoyable and very much cute!! Just leaves you wanting more....more
I received a galley from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
First of all, the art in here is magnificent! I'm absolutelyI received a galley from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
First of all, the art in here is magnificent! I'm absolutely in love. It's enchanting & gives such a wonderful magical vibe to the whole story!
And what a lovely story this is! It's a retelling of "The Little Red Riding Hood" only here it's the wolf who wears the red cape. And that's not the only twist the story offers.
It's a book for kids and those usually try to teach the readers something. And what we learn here is that not everything is what it seems. But it's not simply that the human - wolf roles are reserved. We see how anybody can become a monster, when terrible enough circumstances occur. I would take it to mean that we need to be very careful about our choices & try hard to keep on the side of good. Which seems like a great lesson for kids....more
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