The Witch of Wild Things has a romance, but it’s less of a romance novel and more a novel about familial bonds and trauma. It reminded me a lot of Practical Magic, but has its own vibe due to the personalities and histories of the characters, the setting, and the Latinx history of the family. I liked the overall atmosphere of the book and its prickly protagonist, but I thought events near the ending offered … Continue reading Witch of Wild Things by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland →
The Ten Thousand Doors of January is a wonderfully magical portal fantasy novel that will appeal to just about any book lover. It’s slow, winding, and subtle, brimming with some of the most gorgeous writing I’ve ever read. Unfortunately, the plot doesn’t lend itself to tense action or momentum, making this a much quieter adventure and not quite what I was looking for after coming off the bloody, excitable events of The Blacksmith Queen by … Continue reading The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow →
Natalie Tan’s Book of Luck and Fortune is what I’d describe as women’s fiction with magical realism. It also has pages upon pages of yummy food descriptions. While the writing is evocative and every foodie’s dream, the weak romantic subplot, haphazard emotional resolution, and frequent repetition of phrases diminished a majority of the shine of the atmosphere and writing. Natalie Tan returns to her childhood home in San Diego’s Chinatown following the death of her … Continue reading Natalie Tan’s Book of Luck and Fortune by Roselle Lim →
The first third of this novel is very slow, almost glacial, and the remainder flies with nonstop, eye-widening, what the hell did I just read seriously what. I think that change of pace is deliberate given what happens in the story, but I’m still debating whether the pace and the plot worked for me. The book opens with Sally and Peter’s wedding. Sally is happy but calculating, and sneaks away to deal with her mother, who … Continue reading Please Release Me by Rhoda Baxter →
Can you tell we’re excited about January? This might be the longest Hide Your Wallet yet! Saga, Vol. 4 Author: Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples Released: 12/23 by Image Comics Genre: Graphic Novel Series: Saga Summary: Visit new planets, meet new adversaries and explore a very new direction, as Hazel becomes a toddler while her family struggles to stay on their feet. Collects SAGA #19-24. Carrie says: Technically this is a Dec release but it comes out so late in the … Continue reading Hide Your Wallet: January’s New Releases →
RECOMMENDED: Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen is $1.99! This author became an auto-buy for me after I read this book as a part of a GoodReads reading challenge. I would liken this book to women’s fiction with a magical realism slant. It’s heartwarming and beautiful and has a 4-star rating on GR. The biggest complaint seems to be the book is a little predictable, but we all need an easy read now and again. It’s the first book in the Waverley Family series.
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