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.