Tag: 5 stars

Thornhedge – T. Kingfisher

“Remember us, and if you can, find your way back to us in time.”

You know those special reads that cause you to immediately search out a signed copy as soon as you reach The End, if not sooner, because it’s now one of your forever books? Welcome to Thornhedge and check out my pretty Broken Binding preorder.

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You probably think you know this story … a princess trapped in a tower in an enchanted sleep … the whole Sleeping Beauty thing. You’ve seen the Disney movie. You’ve read the retellings. You may have even read the original. You’ve absolutely questioned the lack of consent of that kiss.

But you don’t know this story. See, this isn’t the princess’ story. It’s Toadling’s. I unequivocally adore Toadling, with her blue-black tears and her determination to complete the task she was given so long ago.

“But we are not always given the choices that we want.”

Toadling is an absolute sweetheart whose loyalty is strong enough to endure for centuries and who wants nothing more than to be with her family. Not the family of her birth; the one who adopted her after she was stolen.

Toadling’s got a job to do, though, and it involves the princess in the tower that this story is not about. Unbeknownst to dear Toadling, although soon to be knownst, a knight has commenced a quest and it’s quite possible he’s going to make a right mess of the status quo.

“This is my place,” she said finally. “You are in it.”

This is a story of aching loneliness and not entirely fitting in anywhere. It’s found family and deep connections. It has magic and it is magical. It’s dark and it’s delightful and, I have to agree with the author here, it is sweet.

T. Kingfisher has quickly become one of my favourite authors and this novella has confirmed why. Toadling lives in my heart now and she’s not leaving anytime soon.

Favourite no context quote:

“This would be easier if you could turn into a toad”

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Titan Books for the opportunity to read this novella.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

There’s a princess trapped in a tower. This isn’t her story.

Meet Toadling. On the day of her birth, she was stolen from her family by the fairies, but she grew up safe and loved in the warm waters of faerieland. Once an adult though, the fae ask a favor of Toadling: return to the human world and offer a blessing of protection to a newborn child. Simple, right?

If only.

Centuries later, a knight approaches a towering wall of brambles, where the thorns are as thick as your arm and as sharp as swords. He’s heard there’s a curse here that needs breaking, but it’s a curse Toadling will do anything to uphold…

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Camp Damascus – Chuck Tingle

Camp Damascus has been one of the best surprises of the year so far. I love it when books take you in a direction you weren’t expecting, where the place you end up is even better than the destination you thought you’d signed up for. I expected to enjoy this read but nowhere near as much as I did.

Rose lives in Neverton, a God-fearing small town in Montana whose claim to fame is being home to the world’s most effective conversion therapy camp.

“A life free from sin is possible, and it’s waiting for you at Camp Damascus”

Regardless of what genre a book is marketed as, as soon as conversion therapy makes its way onto the pages, it’s always going to be labelled horror in my mind. This one was already filed in the correct genre but it gave me so much more than I’d hoped it would.

Rose is a Kingdom Kid, churched in the doctrine of the Kingdom of the Pine. Her parents are devout, making sure they abide by the Four Tenets. Coffee is not allowed in their home, which is about the biggest red flag ever.

“Perfectly normal” Rose has recently begun seeing a woman that other people don’t seem to notice. She’s also started vomiting up all manner of creepy crawlies. Yeah, nothing to see here…

“God’s plan can feel pretty crazy sometimes, huh?”

I loved Rose’s pursuit of the truth. I loved the squirmy, squishy body horror. I loved to hate everything even cultish adjacent. I couldn’t read this book fast enough and am so keen for a reread.

“Follow the rot”

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Titan Books for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Camp Damascus is the world’s most effective gay conversion camp. Nestled in the Montana wilderness, parents send their children from around the world to experience the program’s 100% success rate.

But, this story isn’t about that. This story is about Rose Darling, a God-fearing young lady who can’t stop puking up flies. It’s about her parents who ignore her visions of an eerie woman with sagging, pale skin who watches from the woods. It’s about the desires deep inside Rose that don’t seem to make any sense, and her waking nightmares that are beginning to feel more like memories. And maybe, just maybe, it’s a little bit about Camp Damascus after all.

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Ghost Book – Remy Lai

Oxhead and Horseface had one job. I guess underworld training isn’t what it used to be…

We catch up with them twelve years later, when cause has had sufficient time to become effect. We join the effect during Hungry Ghost Month.

THE GATES OF THE UNDERWORLD ARE OPEN!

July Chen does her very best to pretend she can’t see ghosts, primarily because it upsets her father. July may as well be a ghost herself because she makes no lasting impression on anyone. Her classmates don’t even remember her.

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Then she meets ghost boy William Xiao and his floofy companion, Floof. Only ghost boy isn’t actually a ghost. He is a wandering soul and the “luckiest unluckiest boy”. On the plus side, he can remember July!

This was one of my most anticipated graphic novel reads of the year and it didn’t disappoint. I loved July and William as individuals but it was their friendship that sucked me in.

Sometimes I don’t connect as deeply with graphic novel characters as those I meet in novels. This wasn’t the case here. However, I didn’t realise how much I was invested in their friendship until I was surprised by a misty eyed moment.

Unacceptable. Anarchy.

I enjoyed my second read even more than my first. I teared up much earlier but I was also able to appreciate details I missed when I devoured the story the first time.

It was so much fun browsing with underworld inhabitants at the Dire Market. I had trouble choosing the best Hungry Ghost; my current favourite is Needle-throat Ghost. Floof stole my heart and can sit on my head whenever they want.

The illustrations are the perfect complement to the story. There’s some sweet and some creepy. The characters are expressive, particularly June.

This story explores loss, sacrifice and the bonds of friendship and family. I won’t forget my trip to the underworld anytime soon. I hold the author personally responsible for my ongoing craving for dumplings.

A broken heart is a heart that has loved and been loved.

Thank you so much to Allen & Unwin for the opportunity to read this graphic novel. I’m looking forward to reading more books by this author.

Title: Ghost Book
Author: Remy Lai
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Published: 1 August 2023
RRP: AUD $19.99

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Twelve years ago, the boy and the girl lived. But one was supposed to die …

July Chen sees ghosts. But her dad insists ghosts aren’t real. So she pretends they don’t exist. Which is incredibly difficult now as it’s Hungry Ghost month, when the Gates of the Underworld open and dangerous ghosts run amok in the living world. When July saves a boy ghost from being devoured by a Hungry Ghost, he becomes her first ever friend. Except William is not a ghost. He’s a wandering soul wavering between life and death. As the new friends embark on an adventure to return William to his body, they unearth a ghastly truth – for William to live, July must die.

Inspired by Chinese mythology, this resoundingly hopeful tale about friendship, sacrifice and the unseen world of ghosts is a dazzling heir to beloved Studio Ghibli classics.

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How to Train Your Dragon – Cressida Cowell

How to Train Your Dragon was first published in 2003, when I was too old to read children’s books. This twentieth anniversary edition finds me when I’m old enough to appreciate children’s books anew. I may be one of the only people on the planet who has never read How to Train Your Dragon or watched the movies or the TV series. Until now.

I was not a natural at the Heroism business. I had to work at it. This is the story of becoming a Hero the Hard Way.

I don’t know that it’s wise to call a Viking a sweetheart but that’s the first word I think of when I think of secret Dragonwatcher Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third.

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Ten and a half year old Hiccup is the son of the Chief of the Tribe of the Hairy Hooligans and the tribe is expecting big things from him. Only, Hiccup isn’t like other Vikings.

‘You can’t put Hiccup in charge, sir, he’s USELESS.’

Hiccup is hoping to prove himself useful by passing the Dragon Initiation Programme. Considering the alternative is exile, let’s cheer him on.

First, he’ll need to choose a dragon from thousands of sleeping ones, preferably without waking them all. Then he’ll need to train it. Fortunately for Hiccup, Professor Yobbish’s seminal work, How to Train Your Dragon, is included here in its entirety. That’ll help him out.

Be on the lookout for a Fiendishly Clever Plan and singing supper.

I’m most looking forward to getting to know Fishlegs better, if only because they named their dragon Horrorcow. Toothless, Hiccup’s exceptionally rare dragon, manages to steal the show.

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‘I’ve often thought that that book needs a little something extra … I can’t quite put my finger on it…’

‘WORDS,’ said Hiccup. ‘That book needs a lot more words.’

Ask and you shall receive. In this twentieth anniversary edition, more words is exactly what you get. An entire new story even!

In How to Train Your Hogfly, Hiccup needs to train a Hogfly called Hellsbells to prevent a BLOOD FEUD. Hellsbells the lapdragon is just as entertaining as Toothless but for an entirely different reason.

‘That is the most untrainable dragon I have ever seen in my entire life’

No pressure, Hiccup.

The first thing I did when I finished reading this book was buy a signed copy. The second thing I did was order the next five books in the series from the library.

I fell in love with the characters. I looked forward to the next illustration. I laughed. I wished there was a kid in earshot while I was reading so I’d have a legitimate reason to read aloud.

This book is so much fun! I might be twenty years late to the party but I get it now!

For when the world needs a Hero …

… it might as well be YOU.

Thank you so much to Hachette Australia for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

‘The world will need a Hero, and it might as well be you …’

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third is a smallish Viking with a longish name.

The Hairy Hooligan tribe think he’s totally useless, but Hiccup is about to face his destiny … with one tiny dragon.Can he prove his worth and become a HERO or will he be banished from his tribe for ever?

In celebration of 20 years of How to Train Your Dragon, this special commemorative edition features the original – now classic – How to Train Your Dragon story with exclusive content, including some rare Viking material (featuring Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III’s birth certificate!) and a hilarious brand new adventure called How to Train Your Hogfly starring fan favourites as well as exciting new dragons. 

Fully illustrated with Cressida Cowell’s artwork, this is a MUST HAVE for anyone who grew up reading and loving How to Train Your Dragon, as well as the perfect introduction for new readers to this beloved, classic series.

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Willodeen – Katherine Applegate

Illustrations – Charles Santoso

“Nature, Willodeen, knows more than we do, and she probably always will.”

Willodeen has experienced so much more than her share of loss in her short life. She’s a loner who’s much more comfortable in nature than she is around people.

I didn’t understand my own feelings most days. I couldn’t begin to figure out why other people did the things they did.

When Willodeen grudgingly allows Connor into her life, she finds not only a friend but an ally. Together they are magic in the way that only kindred spirits are.

Along the way, Willodeen learns to trust, and finds her voice and courage. She is the most beautiful reminder that one person truly can make a difference.

Willodeen is an absolute sweetheart, Connor is adorable and I want to adopt Duuzuu and Quinby. I loved this book even more than I hoped I would. There was sadness and some tears but my takeaway is hope.

Willodeen left me feeling like I do whenever I finish a Kate DiCamillo book, all warm and fuzzy, and wishing I could hug all of my new friends who live in its pages.

I read my first Katherine Applegate book in the 90’s; it had one of the most profound impacts on me of all the books I read as a kid. It seems I’ve got a lot to catch up on.

Charles Santoso’s illustrations are gorgeous. My favourite shows Duuzuu and Quinby reuniting.

Illustration of Duuzuu and Quinby reuniting

I need to plant some blue willows so I can encourage some hummingbears to visit me.

“There’s magic in all of us,” Birdie said. “Just a bit. You’re born with it, like fingers and toes and fuzzy baby hair. Some of us make use of it. And some of us don’t.”

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Welbeck Flame, an imprint of Welbeck Children’s Limited, for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

The earth is old and we are not, and that is all you must remember…

Eleven-year-old Willodeen adores creatures of all kinds, but her favourites are the most unlovable beasts in the land: strange beasts known as ‘screechers’. The villagers of Perchance call them pests, even monsters, but Willodeen believes the animals serve a vital role in the complicated web of nature.

Lately, though, nature has seemed angry indeed. Perchance has been cursed with fires and mudslides, droughts and fevers, and even the annual migration of hummingbears, a source of local pride and income, has dwindled. For as long as anyone can remember, the tiny animals have overwintered in shimmering bubble nests perched atop blue willow trees, drawing tourists from far and wide. This year, however, not a single hummingbear has returned to Perchance, and no one knows why.

When a handmade birthday gift brings unexpected magic to Willodeen and her new friend, Connor, she’s determined to speak up for the animals she loves, and perhaps even uncover the answer to the mystery of the missing hummingbears.

A timely and timeless tale about our fragile earth, and one girl’s fierce determination to make a difference.

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Emily Wilde #1: Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries – Heather Fawcett

“One doesn’t need magic if one knows enough stories”

This book made a liar out of me. I’ve been proudly declaring my romantiphobia for years. I’ve gleefully avoided books that even hint at a romance in the blurb. When I find undisclosed mushy bits, I feel cheated.

And all of this time it turns out that I absolutely adore grumpy romances. Or maybe it’s just Emily Wilde and Wendell Bambleby’s snarky banter that I’ve waiting for my entire life.

Eight years ago, Emily, then 22, was Cambridge’s youngest adjunct professor. She’s still hoping to receive tenure. Bambleby is her friend, her only friend. You can’t exactly accuse them of being warm and fuzzy.

The problem with Bambleby, I’ve always found, is that he manages to inspire a strong inclination towards dislike without the satisfaction of empirical evidence to buttress the sentiment.

Bambleby, for his part, gives as good as he gets.

‘We cannot all be made of stone and pencil shavings’

Grumpy banter is my new favourite thing. I love these two!

For the past nine years, Emily, who has a “heart filled with the dust of a thousand library stacks”, has been hard at work, researching and writing her book. She’s only got one chapter to go, which is why she finds herself in the “delightful winter wasteland” that is Hrafnsvik, Ljosland.

Emily is loveable in all of her social awkwardness. Practically as soon as she meets some villagers, she finds a way to accidentally alienate herself.

How was it that in trying to remove my foot from my mouth, I invariably managed to shove it in even deeper?

There are faeries (obviously) and other magical beings, there’s danger and adventure and just so much snark. And there’s Shadow, who I adored.

I wasn’t entirely sure if this would be the book for me when I started reading but it utterly enchanted me. I can’t wait to spend more time with these grumps!

“How does one manage to affix toast to the ceiling?”

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world’s first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party – or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, Shadow, and the Fair Folk to other people.

So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, muddle Emily’s research, and utterly confound and frustrate her.

But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones – the most elusive of all faeries – lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she’ll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all – her own heart.

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The Salt Grows Heavy – Cassandra Khaw

“And you shall know her by the trail of dead.”

This is the story of a toothy mermaid and her plague doctor. If you need to know more than that before deciding this is absolutely the book for you, then maybe this is not the book for you. For everyone else, it’s just as dark and weird and strangely beautiful as you’re hoping it will be.

It’s body horror. It’s a love story. It’s hunger. It’s not giving up on one another. It’s a story you should know as little about as possible before you prise open the pages and devour the viscera for yourself.

The writing is gorgeous. Although this read has its own style, it reminded me of Seanan McGuire’s books when she’s writing as Mira Grant. A number of reviewers have already described it as lyrical and I can’t think of a better word to capture the experience of this book. However, I’m certain the author could come up with ten alternatives.

For someone who simply loves words, this novella was practically a playground for me. I stumbled across so many words that were new to me so part of the joy of this read was learning what they all meant. A couple of my new favourites are intaglio and cicatrice.

“Could you assemble a new life from nothing but debris?”

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Titan Books for the opportunity to read this novella. I can’t wait to read it again!

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

After the murder of her husband and the fall of his empire, a mermaid and her plague doctor companion escape into the wilderness. Deep in the woods, they stumble across a village where children hunt each other for sport, sacrificing one of their own at the behest of three surgeons they call “the saints.” These saints play god with their magic, harvesting the best bits of the children for themselves and piecing the sacrifices back together again.

To save the children from their fates, the plague doctor must confront their past, and the mermaid must embrace the darkest parts of her true nature.

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Friday Barnes #11: Last Chance – R.A. Spratt

‘Do you know anything about the Mona Lisa?’

Fun fact Friday knows the Mona Lisa was stolen in 1911 and recovered two years later. Uncle Bernie tells Friday something she didn’t already know; new evidence suggests it’s possible the painting that was returned to the Louvre all of those years ago was a forgery. Off to Paris we go!

‘Since when did Interpol start recruiting teenagers?’ he asked snidely.

‘Since adult behaviour became so ridiculous,’ suggested Friday, looking from him to her colleague restrained on the ground.

Friday Barnes, my favourite girl detective, is a clumsy, socially awkward genius with a best friend who’d rather be sleeping. Melanie’s sleep to page ratio was smaller than usual in this book. Between the allure of free pizza and their time spent undercover as art students, maybe Melanie simply didn’t have time to reach her usual quota of shut-eye.

Oh, and Ian’s in Paris, too. He’s starting to irritate me but Friday still enjoys his company and his kisses. Meanwhile, I haven’t caught up with Friday being old enough to have a boyfriend.

‘I guess if you can find radiation romantic, then there is hope for you after all.’

I miss seeing her solving all manner of mysteries for the students and staff of Highcrest Academy but our Friday is growing up. Although she’s a teenager now, she’s still the Friday I’ve loved since I was introduced to her eleven books ago, “fluent in science nerd” but directionally challenged.

Each time I catch up with Friday, there are a bunch of smaller mysteries to solve as we figure out the primary one. It doesn’t seem that long ago that I feared I’d investigated alongside Friday for the final time. I love that I’ll be able to spend more time with her soon. I only wish this series existed when I was a kid.

I’m most looking forward to receiving my invitation to Binky and Ingrid’s wedding.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Crime is afoot in the city of love!

Someone stole the Mona Lisa. Okay, it was over a hundred years ago, but a recently uncovered letter reveals that the thief forged a copy. That means that the painting in the Louvre now is a fake. And the real Mona Lisa could be anywhere! 

Friday Barnes needs to find the truth – and the real painting. She’s going undercover as an art student, along with her partner-in-crime-solving, Melanie, and her staggeringly good-looking boyfrenemy, Ian. 

As they watch the comings and goings of France’s most famous art gallery, they see some very strange things. Amid digital pickpockets, guerrilla graffiti and projectile perfume, Friday soon discovers that the Paris art scene is a hotbed of crime.

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The Wild – Claudia Martin

Five countries hold 70 per cent of the world’s last remaining wilderness: Russia, Australia, Brazil, Canada and the United States, much of the last country’s wild land lying in Alaska.

This book’s whirlwind trip around the world was fodder for my travel wish list. Divided into sections by geography – Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania & Antarctica, North & South America – the photography highlights various landscapes across the seasons. The isolation and serenity made this the perfect coffee table book for me.

Although I almost always love photography books, because there are so many to choose from, I like to get a feel for what to expect before deciding if they’re for me or not. With that in mind, I’ve chosen my current favourite photo from each section.

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Legend says that dragons throwing rocks at one another created the distinctive landscape of the Drakolimni of Tymfi, found in Vikos-Aoös National Park, Greece.

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The combusting sulphur in the Ijen stratovolcano complex in East Java, Indonesia, causes Api Biru, Blue Fire.

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African teak is a deciduous hardwood tree with explosive pods able to spread seeds over several metres.

This teak forest is in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe.

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The world’s largest population of dugongs make their home at Shark Bay, Western Australia.

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This gorgeous winter scene comes to you from the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska.

While this book features some breathtaking landscapes, it also includes photos of animals. My favourite is this American alligator, a species that can reach 4.8m (15.7 feet) in length, chilling out at Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia, USA.

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NB: The images I’ve included in my review are screenshots of the eARC. The colours may look different in the book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Amber Books for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Illustrated with beautiful colour photographs, The Wild leads the reader to the planet’s least cultivated places, from jungles to tundras. Take a step into the wild!

We live in an increasingly urbanised world, but there are still many magnificent stretches of wilderness unaltered by humankind. From the most remote mountains and valleys in Alaska to the southern tip of Chile and Argentina, from Europe’s primeval forest on the Polish-Belarusian border to Norway’s fjords, and from the Namib Desert to Kamchatka in far-eastern Russia to canyons in Kurdistan and rainforests in Cambodia, The Wild celebrates the beauty of uncultivated landscapes all around the globe.

Arranged by continent, the book roams across landscapes and climates, from Antarctica’s dry valleys to African burning deserts, from European marshlands to Arabian rugged peaks and on to Tanzania’s craters, Indonesia’s volcanoes, and New Zealand’s bubbling mud pools. Each entry is supported with fascinating captions explaining the geology, geography, flora, and fauna. In doing so, the book reveals some of the world’s most naturally bizarre places.

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The Magician’s Daughter – H.G. Parry

“We need to bring magic back into the world.”

If ever there was a book that could make you believe in magic, this is it.

Me? Well, I already believed. But now I believe even more.

Biddy has grown up on the island of Hy-Brasil with Rowan, who is sometimes a raven, and Hutch, who is sometimes not a rabbit. Unlike Rowan and Hutch, Biddy doesn’t have magic.

At almost seventeen, Biddy has never left the island.

She was a liminal person, trapped between a world she’d grown out of and another that wouldn’t let her in.

Throughout her life, Rowan has flown to the mainland. He always returns before dawn … until the day that he doesn’t.

This world invited me in and made me feel at home. I accompanied Biddy as she transformed from a sheltered, bookish girl to a young woman who‘s beginning to discover what she’s capable of.

“In every fairy tale ever told, it’s a bad idea to tangle with a magician’s daughter.”

As I walked alongside her, I not only saw through her eyes but felt what she was experiencing.

My favourite vicarious experience was Biddy’s relationship with Rowan and Hutch. I’m always a sucker for stories that introduce me to found families. This one, though, made me care so deeply about the individuals and their bond that even thinking about the connection between Rowan and Hutch being severed was enough to bring tears to my eyes.

This was a stressful read, in the best way possible. When the characters were in danger I not only feared for their safety but the effect it would have on the others if anything bad happened to them.

Although this is a story of magic and adventure, it is also bookish in so many wonderful ways. Most of what Biddy knows of the outside world, she learned from books and she prepares for new experiences by reading. Their castle (yes, they live in a castle!) has a library with thousands of books. There’s also a library inside a tree!

I’m not sure how this magic works but this read gave me the comfort I feel rereading a childhood favourite while delivering the anticipation of a new book that you can’t put down.

This is going to be one of my favourite reads of the year. I need to read everything this author ever writes.

“It’s all complicated and messy and wild and glorious.”

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Orbit, an imprint of Little, Brown Book Group, for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Off the coast of Ireland sits a legendary island hidden by magic. A place of ruins and ancient trees, sea-salt air and fairy lore, Hy-Brasil is the only home Biddy has ever known. Washed up on its shore as a baby, Biddy lives a quiet life with her guardian, the mercurial magician Rowan. A life she finds increasingly stifling.

One night, Rowan fails to return from his mysterious travels. To find him, Biddy must venture into the outside world for the first time. But Rowan has powerful enemies – forces who have hoarded the world’s magic and have set their sights on the magician’s many secrets.

Biddy may be the key to stopping them. Yet the closer she gets to answers, the more she questions everything she’s ever believed about Rowan, her past, and the nature of magic itself.

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