Hemlock and Silver by T. Kingfisher

Healer Anja is a 'poison doctor' -- she works to find antidotes to poisons and hopefully save the victims. It's a fairly quiet life, until her King shows up in her workroom with a request. His daughter Snow is ill and he fears that someone is poisoning her. Will Anja travel to the isolated estate where he has sequestered Snow and work to save her? Of course she will (he is the King) but when she arrives, things are....off.

This reframing of Snow White is an utter delight. T. Kingfisher has absolutely mastered the art of retelling fairy tales, giving them a twist and usually casting a mature (middle-aged? Not an ingenue, anyways) heroine who is down to earth and usually perplexed by what's going on around her but willing to get things done. There's a slow-burn romance in the background (and Kingfisher does the thing that I particularly like in romances, whereby the characters actually TALK to each other and figure things out), a talking cat who is just as one might fear a talking cat to be and many fun facts about venomous animals.

Absolutely recommended! (I'd say for everyone, but high teen readers might be put off a bit by the ages of the protagonists. Still, I'd say it would be worth a shot there.)

I received an ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst

Terlu Perna wakes up in a cold, snowy forest clearing. She's absolutely thrilled to do so, as she was turned into a statue for using sorcery to create Caz, a sentient plant we met in “The Spellshop”.

But now she has no idea where she is, what her life may be now and why the handsome, grumpy gardener who turned her back into a person is so grumpy and insistent that he needs a sorcerer to fix the greenhouses on Belde.

I loved this so much! A companion novel to “The Spellshop”, it opens up more of the world that Durst has created. Hopeful, romantic and quietly resistant to abuse of power, this is going on my “read when things are bad” list.

I received an ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Homemade God by Rachel Joyce

Being an only child, sibling relationships will always and forever be an undiscovered country for me. (not my favourite Star Trek movie, but I'll go with it.) Even watching my kids' relationship as they grow into their adult roles doesn't have the same affect.

Rachel Joyce has written a big, sprawling (yet intimate at the same time) novel about sibling relationships. How they develop from birth, how parents affect them, how they grow and how they can fracture. Joyce also touches on “do 'great' (or at least commercially successful) artists get a pass on being jerks because Artist”. (I do not think so, for the record.)

I was sort of expecting a Big Twist and was somewhat surprised when it never came. I do think that the novel is stronger for that.

Recommended!

I received an ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Never the Roses by Jennifer K. Lambert

Oniera is perhaps the most powerful sorcerer in her world and after decades of being used to wage war for whatever ruler has purchased her services, she manages to buy out her contract and 'retire' to a home she builds herself. The peace and quiet, and the companionship of avatar-esque animals slowly starts to heal her until on a whim, she dreamwalks into a rival sorceror's library and finds a book on growing extremely rare roses. He does not exactly approve of this and the flirtation grows from there.

There are so many tropes that could apply to this novel, but I think I'm going to stick with 'fairy tale for adults'. Lambert touches on many topics here but this lush romance takes centre stage. Gorgeously written and absolutely heartbreaking, this will stay with you for a long time.

Highly recommended.

I received an ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Spectacular Things by Beck Dorey-Stein

Okay, I am not a sports person. (Except for gold medal hockey games, then I have to cheer Canada on.) Beck Dorey-Stein made me care deeply about soccer.

This novel is absolutely engrossing and I could not put it down. My heart broke for Mia, parentified and yet supportive of Cricket. It asks the questions “how far should we go for those we love” and “how much do we owe the ones who raised us”. There are no easy answers to those questions and Dorey-Stein writes a realistic scenario around them.

Definitely recommended!

I received an ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

A Legionnaire's Guide to Love and Peace by Emily Skrutskie

I absolutely love “what happens after the quest is over” books, and Legionnaire's is getting a top spot on that list.

Katrien and Emory are legionnaires on the eve of a climactic battle that will decide the future of their world. Throwing caution to the winds, they decide to have what may be their first and last night together. This is the story of what happens after the world is saved and I loved it.

Skrutskie has an intriguing magical system that absolutely works for the story. I would love to see more in this universe.

Highly recommended! It's a bit spicy, so keep that in mind.

I received an ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Ripple Effect by Maggie North

Maggie North's second novel is compulsively readable! This is a novel that you set aside a lazy afternoon to finish because you won't want to put it down.

Set in the same area, with many of the same people as Rules for Second Chances, this follows Stellar Byrd, a burnt out and struggling ER physician on her journey. One of the things I really appreciate about North's writing is the emphasis on communication so you don't wind up hissing “if you'd just TALK to each other” at the book – unless that's just me.

Recommended for adults, there's a little spice to it.

I received an ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

What Stalks the Deep by T. Kingfisher

Third in the Sworn Soldier series, Alex Easton is a delight. Alex does not particularly want to go to America, but when Dr. Denton (Alex's brother in arms from the first in the series) cables him asking for assistance, bags are packed and boat tickets are bought.

I love this series so much, it's much more creepy than scary and Alex reacts to things with a dry humour that works very well. You don't need to have read the first two to enjoy this one, but do go check out the rest of the series.

Recommended for mid teens and up, like I said, more creepy than scary.

I received an ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

A Far Better Thing by H. G. Parry

I've never read A Tale of Two Cities, but I really feel that adding faeries into it would only have improved it.

Sidney Carton was taken as a child to the Realm and a changeling was left in his place. Spit out into the human world at thirteen, he becomes a human servant for the Fae – stealing children for them and other errands. When he meets his changeling Charles Darnay, he thinks he wants revenge on Charles, but he is drawn into faery plans for his world.

This is the Fae of the old tales, child stealers, beyond mortal ken and amoral. The French Revolution is the backdrop to this story and Parry conveys much of what it must have been like masterfully. A thoughtful read, I'd recommend this for older teens and up.

I received an ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Witch Roads by Kate Elliott

Spore and the Pall are the things most feared in Elen's world. She has a talent for detecting Spore and a hidden secret for dispatching it. Elen and her nephew Kem are on her courier route while Kem decides if he wants to declare as a courier when they find a haunt at a waystation.

A prince of the realm also encounters the haunt – and the haunt possesses him. One problem, the haunt is a much nicer person than the prince and the haunt is on a mission.

I liked this quite a bit. It's very much an high fantasy quest book, but we're not exactly sure what the quest is. Elliott's world building is first rate and I really really want to find out what happens in the next book. (I also really really hope that the haunt comes back!)

Recommended for older teens, some mature themes, but nothing overt or spicy.

I received an ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Potency of Ungovernable Impulses by Malka Older

So this is the third in a mystery series that I can only describe as giving queer Sherlock Holmes vibes. Humanity has spread out to Jupiter due to Earth becoming unlivable, and habitats are orbiting the planet. (We don't learn much about the science behind this. This is absolutely fine, in fact, it reminded me of classic SF – here is the thing, it's enough that you know about the thing for the story.) Pleiti is contacted by a former classmate for help as someone is trying to sabotage the former classmates' academic career.

Academic backbiting never gets old, apparently. Pleiti travels to the habitat without her investigative partner, Mossi and we are plunged into the mystery.

I quite liked this, as I said, it does give off Sherlock Holmes vibes. The mystery is well laid out and I certainly didn't guess whodunnit, which is always nice. Also, I'm 99% sure there was a blink and you missed it Firefly Easter egg, so also fun!

Recommended for Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie fans.

I received an ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flame by Neon Yang

Yeva was thirteen when she killed a dragon and was sworn to the ranks of the Emperor's guildknights. Never having removed her armour in public since earning it, she is sent to the neighbouring kingdom of Quanbao to discover if they are harboring a dragon, and if so, to do her duty. But armour cracks and whose duty will Yeva stand by?

This is a lovely queer romance with dragons and a wee bit of Bluebeard – how could I not love it? This reads like a newly discovered fairy tale and I was enraptured by it.

Recommended for older teens and up.

I received an ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Eat the Ones You Love by Sarah Maria Griffin

Reeling from both breaking up with her fiancee and losing her job, Shell Pine moves home and starts to rebuild her life. Walking through the local mall one day, Shell sees a small sign on a florist shop – Help Needed. Even though the mall is losing tenants and is on its way to being condemned, the flower shop owner (Neve) is doing well enough to hire Shell. Neve has a secret, however, and it is deadly.

This did not go the way I thought it would. Lushly written and imagined, this is almost body horror cozy? The POV shifts were a bit confusing at first, but you get used to it quickly.

Recommended, although you might look askance at your flowers for a couple of days.

I received an ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Overgrowth by Mira Grant

Mira Grant (Seanan McGuire's pseudonym) combines body horror, 50's monster movies and alien invasion in this deliciously creepy novel.

Anastasia Miller has been insisting to anyone who asks that she is an alien in human disguise since she was 3, most people take it as a somewhat amusing personality quirk, but we soon find out that it's not just a quirk. When an alien signal is picked up, Anastasia realizes that her family is coming for her and the others on Earth – and they may not be very friendly.

Absolutely recommended, as are all Grant's works no matter what the name on the cover is. Grant does a lot with subtext around found family, children's feelings and needs and listening to same. There's a revelation close to the end of the book that will break your heart, it did mine.

I received an ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Steady Now by Liberty Stowe

A spicy summer read! Wren Baldwin's Maserati breaks down near the small town of Vogel Springs, Texas and she is immediately attracted to the town's mechanic, Hud Bass. Over the scope of this novel, secrets are revealed (what is Wren running from? Why is Hud so resistant to a relationship?) and love blossoms for both Wren and her best friend Anderson.

Recommended for adults due to spiciness.

I received an ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

All the Stars Align by Gretchen Schrieber

Gretchen Schrieber has written a sweet novel about trusting yourself, the way families can stifle you even when they only profess the best for you and is fate really fate?

All the women in Piper's family have met and married their true loves due to the Blessing, and now Piper is trying to find her own Blessing and true love. But is the boy who makes her heart flutter with her Blessing her true love?

I quite liked this concept and also really liked how hard Piper works to fit her life into the confines of what the Blessing seems like to her before realizing that it's okay to want different things than what your family does and it's okay to have boundaries around your family.

A YA novel, I would recommend this for mid-teens and up.

I received an ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Martian Contingency by Mary Robinette Kowal

Mary Robinette Kowal has written another gripping story of alternate history space exploration. The fourth book in the “Lady Astronaut” series reads like it should be happening today. I had to keep the fact that this book was set in the '70's firmly in mind when it came to societal attitudes.

Potential problems around establishing a habitat on Mars are well thought out and don't overshadow the human side of doing just that. There's a lot of little details that Robinette Kowal includes that make you think “oh, right, they're on Mars, things are more complex”.

One of my favourite series, I would recommend this for older teens and up. Start from the beginning to get the full effect.

Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite

Olivia Waite has written a new take on generational ships. She's got a unique solution to one of the big problems with generational ships and I loved it. A tightly plotted and written novella, you don't need to be a SFF fan to enjoy this murder mystery. Technically a locked room mystery as well, which is a neat twist. The start of a series featuring the protagonist (Dorothy Gentleman), I can't wait for the next one.

Also, I want the knitting pattern she mentions!

Recommended for older teens and up, this is a fun way to spend a couple of hours.

I received an ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Installment Immortality

Mary Dunlavy is back, baby! Six months after Aftermarket Afterlife, we find out more about how Mary’s unlife is changing in the aftermath of the death of the Crossroads. And how the various Price-Healy clan members are doing as well.

This is not the book to start this series with, although McGuire has a useful precis of the series for those of us who may have forgotten bits of the timeline. Start at the beginning and work up to this one, trust me, it's worth it.

I am such a fan of these books and Seanan McGuire as a whole

I received an ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar

Amal El-Mohtar has written a lyrical story about the bond between sisters. It's very hard to describe this without giving every twist and turn away, and for a novella, El-Mohtar packs quite a few twists in.

It is sweet, diabolical and winds its way to a happy ending. Recommended for older teens and up, while familiarity with traditional ballad forms will add a frisson while reading, you don't have to be.

I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Witch Who Trades With Death by C. M. Alongi

C. M. Alongi is rapidly heading onto my “buy immediately” list, which is a good thing.

“The Witch Who Trades With Death” is a compelling read that at the heart is about standing up to tyrants – perhaps something we all need to hear right now. There are trigger warnings at the beginning of the book, something I am firmly in favour of. Issues of consent and found family also weave throughout the book.

Recommended for older teens and up (one spicy scene), this is a sensitive exploration of trauma and healing. Also a cracking good story with intricate world building!

Tea You at the Altar by Rebecca Thorne

This is the third book in Thorne's "Tomes and Tea" series and it is a good one.

We get to see Kianthe and Reyna navigating high level politics, all while in the last stages of planning a wedding. I loved this book, it's sweet and really moves the overall story of the series along.

Recommended for mid-teens and up, if you're a fan of "The Princess Bride", you'll probably like this series too! Plus, griffins and dragons!

Picks and Shovels by Cory Doctorow

So apparently this is book three of a series. It is eminently stand alone, but I am looking up books one and two because I liked it so much. It really took me back to the early computer days (and now I may have to go lie down before my hips crumble into dust), I was asked to test one of the programs Doctorow name checks in college, so that was a nice memory to get out of this.

Recommended for older teens and up, especially those who are at all curious about how computing started.

Upon a Starlit Tide by Kell Woods

I had picked out the Cinderella and Little Mermaid (the 'real' one, not the Disney version) vibes quite early on in this book. Woods mentions in an afterword that Bluebeard and a Bretagne folk tale are also woven into the bones, making a rich tapestry of fairy tales retold and reimaged.

An alternate history, with Fae quite openly in the world, Woods spills a lush tale of love and betrayal set against 18th century Brittany shipbuilding and sea faring culture.

I did find this a bit hard to get into, but once I'd gotten about a quarter of the way through, something about the story grabbed me by the throat and I couldn't put it down.

I would recommend this for older teens and up, it's masterfully done.

But Not Too Bold by Hache Pueyo

I was enchanted by this novella. It’s dreamy and uneasy all at once.

There’s a mystery, but even though I was invested on finding out the solution, it was the world building that kept me reading. A truly unique story and voice. Recommended!

The Legacy of Arniston House by T. L. Huchu

I am so so so behind on my reviews. Summer goal -- get them finished up! So expect many reviews coming.

I was a little wary of this, given that it's book 4 of a series, so I procrastinated a bit more than I should have.

Huchu has managed to make "Legacy" accessible even for those of us who haven't read the first 3 in the series, which is a feat! I was able to follow the storyline without any trouble, needed backstory flows naturally throughout and I was thoroughly invested. Some of the emotional beats may hit harder if you've read the whole series, but that may just be me.

The magic system is defined and just a little different than others I've seen, which is nice. Ropa is a sympathetic heroine, and the ending had me gasping.

I would definitely recommend this for older teens and up and will be going back and starting the series from the beginning.

The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus by Emma Knight

This was a lovely story, touching on female friendship, the societal pressures on mothers, and family secrets. I was sucked in immediately and was heavily invested in Pen’s story.

Recommended!

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix

I couldn’t help but think to myself while reading this book “could this happen again?”. Not so much the witchcraft but the sending of pregnant out of wedlock girls (I wanted to say women, but our protagonists are girls. Heartbreakingly so.) to homes to await the birth and subsequent adoption of their children.

When you have no agency, no power, how far might you go if the chance for power and revenge was in front of you?

This gripped me from the first page and I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommended for older teens and up.