Tag: NetGalley

Finding the Light – Marian Henley

This was always going to be a difficult read. Marian’s story is both shockingly common and unusual. Marian has survived two rapes, both perpetrated by strangers.

Statistically, one out of every six American women have experienced rape or attempted rape in their lifetime, although I’d wager the number is significantly higher. Eight out of ten rapes are committed by someone known to the victim. Source: RAINN.

Marian’s story is heart-wrenching. Be aware that this graphic novel includes some details of the rapes Marian experienced, along with other violence. There’s victim blaming and injustice. There’s also a significant amount of swearing.

Anyone who has experienced dissociation will identify it the first time it’s pictured, well before it is named. The impacts of sexualised violence are explored, as is the courage and resilience of survivors.

I absolutely loved the panels depicting Marian’s relationship with her son, especially as we watch him grow up.

Marian with her son

Marian captures his innocence, as well as the relationship we have with the animals that adopt us, with such purity and heart.

Much like the yin-yang symbol Marian uses to illustrate the revelation she has about being a mother to a boy, the devastation in this graphic memoir sits alongside hope.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the opportunity to read this graphic novel.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Marian Henley’s beautifully illustrated memoir tells an emotionally resonant story about the wonder and redemption of raising a son after surviving extreme male violence.  

This poignant graphic memoir describes the most difficult conversation between a mother and her son — the one about the two rapes she experienced as a young woman. It’s something she always knew she would share with her son, but the process of doing so is harder — and more freeing — than she could have imagined. This difficult but beautiful story chronicles how she overcame trauma and violence to find love and healing as a mother. Drawing on her decades as a professional cartoonist, Henley’s elegant black ink illustrations, trademark humour, and witty writing style shine through even in the darkest moments and tell a story of survivorship, parenting, and hope.

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Lola and Larch #1: Lola and Larch Fix a Fairy Forest – Sinéad O’Hart

Illustrations – Rachel Seago

Lola and Larch meet during a storm. Larch has lost her way. Lola is excited by the prospect of having her very own rabbit.

Only Larch isn’t a rabbit; she’s a tree fairy with wonky magic. Sometimes she’s a fairy. Sometimes she’s a rabbit. Sometimes she’s even a fairy with bunny ears.

While Lola’s mother, a forest ranger, is busy investigating an odd purple mist in the forest, Lola gets to know her new friend. It turns out being a magical creature doesn’t mean you don’t have problems, the most pressing of which for Larch right now is the shadow on the forest floor that could spell danger for her village.

I haven’t found a Sinéad O’Hart book that I haven’t liked yet and don’t expect to anytime soon. I loved getting to witness the beginning of Lola and Larch’s friendship. I appreciated Larch’s range of emotions and the fact that she’s different, giving readers the opportunity to learn to celebrate their differences while having adventures along the way.

I really enjoyed Rachel Seago’s illustrations. The details line up well with the story and the characters, especially Larch, are very expressive.

While I loved them all, one in particular has me fascinated. On page 64, Lola is laying on the grass while Larch is mid feast. There’s a snail making its way across the garden wall. I’m not sure if this is pareidolia (who knew there was a word for it?!) or if there really is supposed to be someone wearing glasses hiding behind the shrub on the right side of the picture. Either way, I can’t stop looking at it!

Lola and Larch in the garden

The nighttime scenes accompanied by white text were some of my favourites.

I initially puzzled over bad fairy Euphorbia Spurge’s name. Then I Googled it and discovered that this works perfectly for her. I saw this plant described as ‘elegant yet tough’ and learned that its sap is poisonous and a skin irritant.

She may not technically be poisonous (although the sequel may prove me wrong) but being a power hungry baddie certainly speaks to her toxicity. I can’t help wondering if I could trick her into helping me out on the nights I have trouble sleeping…

I’m always drawn to the Grandma in children’s books and Lola’s Grandma is adorable. She didn’t leave her belief in magic behind in childhood so I really hope at some stage Larch breaks Rule the First for her.

Rule the First. Never reveal yourself to an Adult Human Creature, for they are Foolish and Not to be Trusted.

I trust you, Grandma!

I would have loved this book as a kid. Adult me found it delightful. It’s one of those books I’d happily read to a child. More than once.

I’m keen to see what this green haired fairy and her Child Human Creature get up to next.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Nosy Crow for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Lola can’t believe her luck – the rabbit she’s rescued is actually a fairy in disguise. Now she has her very own fairy! There’s just one problem. Larch, the rebellious fairy she’s rescued, is convinced that Lola is her human…

But while Larch and Lola discuss the merits of snail slime for breakfast and try to decide who should be in charge, there’s a bad fairy on the loose. Evil Euphorbia Spurge wants magic, and Larch is full of it. Soon it’s a battle of wits, wands and fairy wings as the new friends take on the wildest fairy in the woods…

Beautifully illustrated throughout, Lola and Larch is a heartwarming, funny celebration of friendship. It’s the perfect series for 7+ readers who like fairies, magic, and very naughty rabbits!

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The Stranger Times #4: Relight My Fire – C.K. McDonnell

It’s The Stranger Times: Celebrity Edition. They’re all here. Well, the ones that meet a specific criteria are. Regardless, you’re bound to come across a few familiar faces.

It’s the lead up to Halloween so, if you know this series even a little bit, you know you’re in for a treat! And maybe a couple of tricks…

I’ve been wanting more Stella and more Stella is exactly what I got. She may have preferred a smaller role in this book, though, as she didn’t appear to particularly enjoy having a guy fall for her. From the sky. Splattered all over the pavement.

‘You’ve got dead guy all over you, love.’

And that’s only the beginning of the ‘weirdy bollocks’ in this book.

Hannah meets her celebrity crush. Banecroft is given a deadline. Manny’s ability to remember to wear pants is improving. Sometimes.

These days, not only was anything possible, but almost everything was far too believable.

There’s more time spent in a graveyard than your average book and people seem to have a whole new appreciation for Laurence of Arabia. This is the book with the tone deaf roadie and a rage problem which, believe it or not, is not Banecroft’s. Or not only Banecroft’s.

And you’ll be introduced to Brian.

‘Nothing is weirder than Brian.’

With everything that’s going on for the team, I’m surprised they find time to print a newspaper at all.

‘News does not sleep.’

This series has action, humour, strangeness (obviously) and a weird little found family that I absolutely adore. The more I get to know them, the more time I want to spend with them. I will be reading The Stranger Times for as long as new editions keep getting published.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Bantam Press, an imprint of Transworld Publishers, Penguin Random House UK, for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Some comebacks can be murder…

Stella is enjoying life as an almost student, or at least she is until a man falls from the sky right in front of her, leaving a big old hole in the pavement for Manchester Council to fill. The obvious question of how he ended up in the sky in the first place has no obvious answers, which is where The Stranger Times come in.

But this isn’t just the hunt for another story. Dark powers think Stella might have been involved and the only way she and the team can prove her innocence is to find out what the hell is really going on. And what have dodgy gear, disturbed graves and a decommissioned rock star got to do with all this?

Vincent Banecroft has problems of his own in the form of a tall, dark but-definitely-not-handsome man dressed like a funeral who has been sent to make the paper’s editor atone for his sins. Once he finds out exactly what that entails, Banecroft is not keen. Being banished to a Hellscape for all eternity looks like being no fun at all, not least because he has that pale Irish skin that burns really easily…

All that plus territorial ghouls, homicidal felines, eternal (and seemingly unstoppable) gnomes and a celebrity Who’s Who that’d put a royal wedding to shame, and you’re looking at a wild few days for The Stranger Times.

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Strange Ways to Die in History – Ben Gazur

I’m always keen to learn about all things strange and unusual so the opportunity to discover some of the more bizarre ways that humans have met their end was too tempting to pass up. Here, you’ll learn about the often untimely deaths of people from the ancient world, the Middle Ages and the modern world.

It is estimated that since the human species first came into existence, slightly over 100 billion people have died. It would be surprising if at least some of the them did not do so in extraordinary, noteworthy, or downright comic ways.

This book’s dearly departed don’t always expire in ways that would result in a Darwin Award but they do run the gamut of deathly debacles, from war and disease to human stupidity.

In the ancient world, we have people being cooked by Brazen Bull, turned into a pillar of salt and torn apart by dogs. There’s death by elephant, roof tile and being fed to eels.

Sisamnes learned the hard way not to take a bribe. His throat was cut and he was flayed. As if that wasn’t bad enough, his skin was then made into a chair for the next governor to sit in. Who was the next governor? Sisamnes’ son.

In the Middle Ages, you could meet your maker by bucket, being quartered or by toilet, as was the case for sixty people who drowned during the Erfurt Latrine Disaster.

Then there was Charles II of Navarre who, covered in sores and boils, was “sewn into strips of linen at night that had been soaked in brandy.” The maid responsible for sewing Charles into his sack forgot her scissors one night so decided to burn a loose thread. This went as well as expected, with the king dying almost a month later as a result of his burns.

The modern world gives us technological advances but it also gives you death by scarf, turnip and clown.

Besides the potential to make you squeamish, György Dózsa teaches us that declaring yourself king can result in a truly memorable death. In all seriousness, if you’re squeamish, don’t Google him.

Now, to lighten the mood, there have been those who died from laughter. A mayor tripped over his beard and one king may have died by pudding. Others have been bested by lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Or by someone wearing a bear costume.

This was an entertaining read. The entries are succinct, providing a summary of the best/worst bits of the lives of some poor unfortunate souls. At times the writing could be a bit crude, especially when it wandered into toilet humour territory, but if you’re a reader who’s easily offended, it’s unlikely you’ll be picking this book up in the first place.

It ends with some famous last words. My favourite of the bunch came from a man whose death came by guillotine during the French Revolution.

When Thomas de Mahy was sentenced to death, he gave the order for his execution a read and handed it back, saying: ‘I see that you have made three spelling mistakes.’

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Pen & Sword History, an imprint of Pen & Sword Books, for granting my wish to read this book. 

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Death comes for us all in the end. But it does not always come in a way you might expect. Throughout history there have been people who have suffered extraordinary, unusual, and downright weird demises. In Strange Ways to Die in History you will find out about the true stories behind unlikely stories of bizarre accidents, assassinations, and misadventures. Did a playwright really die from a tortoise being dropped on his head by an eagle? Why did an English vicar end up being eaten by lions? And what are the chances of fatality from falling into a toilet?

Looking at the lives that came before the deaths reveals some of histories most fascinating individuals. Some of those examined are well known. Some are remembered only for the odd way they departed this life. Some have been forgotten entirely. Sometimes how a person dies, and how history has recorded the event, can tell us a lot about society and how we remember.

This book uncovers eyewitnesses to the deaths described and contemporary reports from those who were left behind.

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Emily Wilde #2: Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands – Heather Fawcett

“We are about to involve ourselves in a great deal of danger, much of it strange and unsettling.”

It’s time for Emily and Wendell to search for Wendell’s door and I, for one, am thrilled to have been invited to tag along for this quest. My enthusiasm may not be as contagious as that of Ariadne, Emily’s niece, but I have more field experience than her, having already accompanied Emily and Wendell to Ljosland, so my excitement is tempered by a tad of caution.

I also have some insider knowledge; Wendell’s stepmother is sending assassins to dispatch of him but my clothing is inside out so I’m confident I will be successful in evading any of the Folk’s attempts to enchant me.

“Oh, what a quest this is!”

The grumpy romance of the first book blindsided me in the best way possible. I wasn’t expecting it, thank goodness, or I probably wouldn’t have picked up the book in the first place. I actively avoid books that contain romance, which brings me to the second part of the blindsiding. I learned that I love grumpy romances, or at the very least, I love Emily and Wendell’s grumpy romance.

Their romance wasn’t quite as grumpy in this book, although they did have their moments. Their relationship has grown more comfortable since we first met them. That doesn’t mean we’re grumpless, though. Rose, who I absolutely adored, despite trying my hardest not to care a jot about him, does his very best to bring the grumpy with him wherever he goes.

I’m usually quite wary of sequels of my favourite books. They come with an almost impossibly high expectation of brilliance, having to compete with the joy of discovery you felt with the first book. This sequel didn’t disappoint.

In fact, I’m having trouble figuring out which book I loved more. There was the comfort in already knowing the main characters alongside the introduction of new characters, who managed to hold their own.

I love Emily. She’s lousy at small talk but is getting better at insults, her aim needs improvement and her journals contain footnotes. I adore the footnotes and need more of them!

Meanwhile, Wendell is a man after my own heart.

“There is nothing trivial about good coffee.”

If anything ever happens to Shadow, I will be bereft. I’d also like to put it out there that Poe can bake for me anytime.

I’d appreciate someone sharing Knight College’s postal address with me so I can submit my application to study dryadology.

If you have not already met Emily and Wendell, please make their acquaintance in preparation for this quest as there is prerequisite knowledge that will make this one more fulfilling.

Ensure you pack some carrots and maybe don’t look too closely at the faerie art. Be sure to bring enough pencils.

“Give me another pencil.”

“I only had the one on me!”

“One? Who are you?”

Handy hint: Do not allow Professor Eustacia Walters access to any of your books. If you ask me, she’s the true villain of this book.

If it is at all convenient, I would very much like to read the third book immediately.

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

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Emily Wilde is a genius scholar of faerie folklore, and has catalogued many secrets of the Hidden Folk in her encyclopaedia with her infuriatingly charming fellow scholar, Wendell Bambleby, by her side.

But Bambleby is more than just a brilliant and unbearably handsome scholar. He’s an exiled faerie king on the run from his murderous mother, in search of a door back to his realm. 

By lucky happenstance, Emily’s new project, a map of the realms of faerie, will take them on an adventure to the picturesque Austrian Alps, where Emily believes they may find the door to Bambleby’s realm, and the key to freeing him from his family’s dark plans. 

But with new friendships for the prickly Emily to navigate and dangerous Folk lurking in every forest and hollow, Emily must unravel the mysterious workings of faerie doors, and of her own heart.

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In Excess of Dark – Red Lagoe

Grief is a monster. A real-world monster that ravages the body and mind and spirit.

You know how you can never truly know what another person is thinking? It turns out that’s not entirely accurate. Karina’s deepest, darkest imaginings have the uncanny ability to come true.

She’s always had this ability, although it used to be much easier to put this down to correlation rather than causation. Recent events have changed that somewhat. It’s pretty safe to say you might want to stay on Karina’s good side now or you may no longer have a good side.

“Don’t pretend you didn’t want this to happen. I know … somehow … you did this.”

Grief can distort the way you see things but in Karina’s case, her desperate need to be with her loved ones will have her coming face to face with the darkness.

This book doesn’t shy away from the depths of despair that threaten to overwhelm you when you’re grieving. Looking straight into the rawness of the pain and the guilt that can accompany it, this is at times an uncomfortable read but that’s how you know it’s done its job.

I would have liked some of the characters to be more fleshed out (maybe literally). I wish I could have met Karina’s father and spent more time exploring her relationship with her husband and son.

Things get fairly splatty, much to my delight. While I absolutely loved the body horror, I was hoping for a larger body count. That says more about me than the book, though. Unless we’re in a slasher where the blood is practically dripping off the pages, I’m going to be wanting more insides to become outsides.

I finished this read in one sitting. I wish it had been longer, not because it was lacking but because I wanted to spend more time in the darkness with Karina. I’m keen to read more books by this author.

Think positive thoughts.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and DarkLit Press for the opportunity to read this novella.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

What if every terrible thing imagined came true? Every fleeting, nightmarish thought a reality? For grief-stricken Karina, her newfound ability to turn her worst daydreams into palpable truths has sent her into a downward spiral of depression and guilt. Coupled with the appearance of an enigmatic shadow figure and visions of her dead family, she grapples to maintain her sanity while desperately attempting to harness her abilities and reunite with her loved ones.

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Wayward Children #9: Mislaid in Parts Half-Known – Seanan McGuire

Illustrations – Rovina Cai

“I’m always sure.”

I read this book weeks ago and I’ve wanted to gush about it ever since, but life postponed me. Distance between reading a book and writing a review tells you if the book’s glow fades with time, though. If anything, I appreciate this book more now than when I finished it and that’s saying a lot.

Before I ramble about the book, I need to say something about me. It’s my review so I get to do that. When I first started writing book reviews, I fantasised about the future and what outrageously impossible things I might find there.

This book fulfilled a dream that I only shared with one person because I was so certain it wouldn’t happen: that I would be given the opportunity to read a Seanan McGuire book before the publication date. That it happened at all still makes me smile at random moments. That it’s a Wayward Children book, the series that introduced me to Seanan, that’s perfection right there.

“And we’re getting off topic, which is a neat trick when we haven’t managed to get on topic yet.”

I need to find someone in my world who I can get all spoilery with because they’ve read it too. Until then, I need to talk about some takeaways.

Dinosaurs. Yes, there’s a dinosaur on the cover. Yes, you will travel to a world with dinosaurs. No, this is not a dinosaur book.

The story. This is the continuation of Antsy’s story. You met her in Lost in the Moment and Found. If you don’t know Antsy, please introduce yourself to her before reading this book.

In fact, if you haven’t already attended Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children, now would be a really good time to binge the series. Some of the Wayward Children books can be read as standalones if you really want to, although I’m not sure why you wouldn’t simply read them all. This really isn’t one of them. It refers to characters, worlds and events that you really had to be there for.

Antsy. A part of me is still a little bit broken from knowing why she ran.

No quests.

Of course there’s a quest! Would you have it any other way?

Doors.

“Every door is a little different, and every world they take us to is very different indeed, but they all ask the same thing of us, and they all break our hearts, in the end.”

I thought I was obsessed before. This book fuelled my need to know everything there is to know about them. I have decided I need a companion book, Door Lore. It will explain the history of Doors, how they work and how different cultures and worlds understand them and tell stories about them. There will be an entry for every world, which will include where it sits on the Nonsense, Logic, Virtue, Wickedness spectrum. It will be encyclopaedic and glorious!

Kade. This is not Kade’s story but I learned more about him and the world behind his Door. I still can’t wait for Kade’s book but don’t want to say goodbye to him either, so I’m trusting Seanan to give us his story when the time is right.

Sumi.

“You have to listen to me. I died, and that means I’m clever now.”

I have loved Sumi since the day we met. Her nonsense was strong in this book, as it usually is, and I adore it and her more every page we spend together.

Harvest. I need to go there!

The ending. It hit me like a tonne of bricks. Even though I probably should have, I was not expecting it. I definitely wasn’t expecting the sneaky ugly cry.

Be sure. The worlds can be sugar sweet or they can drown me. The characters can (and will) break my heart, time and time again. I will always be sure. I will not stop looking until I find my Door.

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

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Antsy is the latest student to pass through the doors at Eleanor West’s School for Wayward Children.

When her fellow students realise that Antsy’s talent for finding absolutely anything may extend to doors, she’s forced to flee in the company of a small group of friends, looking for a way back to the Shop Where the Lost Things Go to be sure that Vineta and Hudson are keeping their promise. 

Along the way, temptations are dangled, decisions are reinforced, and a departure to a world populated by dinosaurs brings untold dangers and one or two other surprises!

A story that reminds us that finding what you want doesn’t always mean finding what you need.

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The Cat Who Couldn’t Be Bothered – Jack Kurland

I am the cat. The cat is me.

I can’t be bothered.

The cat been asked to participate in adventures, near and far, and every time he says he doesn’t want to. Finally, a friend talks to the cat and finds out why they can’t be bothered. Sometimes we’re sad and even being invited on an adventure isn’t what we need.

I love that this book encourages readers to acknowledge their feelings and not hide them from the people who care about them. By being open about what they’re feeling, the cat’s friends are given the opportunity to offer support.

I really enjoyed the illustrations. The cat is black and white, while his friends are brightly coloured. My favourite illustration featured cat-stronauts and martians.

As someone who is often overwhelmed by the pace of life that we’re all expected to keep up with, I appreciated that this cat reminds us that needing to do absolutely nothing sometimes is okay. I’d argue it’s necessary.

If you need me, I’ll be here doing nothing and not feeling bad about it. You’re welcome to join me.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, an imprint of The Quarto Group, for the opportunity to read this picture book.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

There is a cat. A cat that couldn’t be bothered to do anything … anything at all. His friends ask him if he wants to play but he doesn’t feel like it. They invite him on adventures to far-off places, but he would rather stay at home. Until one day, a friend asks how he is doing, and the true reason why he’d rather do nothing is revealed. He is feeling sad.

This is a story about feelings, friendship and the importance of speaking to someone when you don’t feel right. This beautiful socially aware story:

  • Reassures kids that feeling sad sometimes is normal
  • Helps them understand others’ behaviour and promotes empathy
  • Encourages them to be more in touch with their feelings
  • Provides a sense of fun while also broaching a tricky topic

Both children and adults will love the quirky and hilarious cat’s refusal to take part in anything and the sweet and important message behind this story. It’s never been more important to introduce kids to the importance of mental health. This bright children’s book is an easy way to talk about feelings and looking out for others. It provides an excellent jumping-off point for at-home and classroom discussions about emotional wellbeing and caring for others.

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The City of Stardust – Georgia Summers

A curse can be many things.

I loved the concept of this book. It’s a fairytale come to life. It’s curses and magic. It’s impossible doorways to other worlds. It’s a bookish girl on a quest.

It appears The City of Stardust has already divided the book world in two. There are those who have fallen in love with it and those whose expectations didn’t match reality. Unfortunately, I’m one of the latter.

This book had so much potential but, although the individual elements were right up my alley, it didn’t come together like I’d hoped it would. In saying that, though, I want to acknowledge that I have been in a reading slump recently so this may well have distorted my view.

I usually love the bookish girl, if only because she’s bookish, but I never really felt like I got to know Violet.

The romance didn’t work for me and neither did the friendship, for that matter. Sure, they both have pain. Violet’s been abandoned and Aleksander’s been abused. However, he betrays her time and time again, and every time she forgives him. I’m not someone whose first instinct is violence but Violet’s naivety and gullibility frequently combined to make me wish I could hit her across the head with one of her books. Preferably a hardcover.

I have so many unanswered questions: about scholars, reveurite, Marianne Everly, the way this world works.

I most wanted to know more about Penelope, who has the ability to hold a grudge for all eternity. She has her reasons and I understood those but I craved more depth from her.

I’d be interested in reading more books by this author and I’m considering a reread once my reading no longer slumps to see if this changes my experience of the Everly curse but, for now at least, I’m chalking this one up to not for me at this time.

‘Hello, little dreamer’

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Hodderscape, an imprint of Hodder & Stoughton, for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

For centuries, Everlys have seen their brightest and best disappear, taken as punishment for a crime no one remembers, for a purpose no one understands. Their tormentor is a woman named Penelope, who never ages, never grows sick – and never forgives a debt.

Ten years ago, Violet Everly’s mother left to break the curse, and never returned. Now Violet must find her mother, or she will be taken in her place.

Her hunt leads her into a seductive magical underworld of power-hungry scholars, fickle gods, and monsters bent on revenge. And into the path of Penelope’s quiet assistant, Aleksander, who she knows cannot be trusted – and yet to whom she finds herself undeniably drawn.

Tied to a very literal deadline, Violet will travel to the edges of the world to find her mother and the key to the city of stardust, where the Everly story began…

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Drowned Gods #1: Curious Tides – Pascale Lacelle

It’s been four months since Romie, Emory’s best friend, died along with seven other students from their school, Aldryn College for Lunar Magics. Emory, the only one who survived the tide that night, is determined to find answers.

I was initially intrigued by the magic system, which relates to the moon’s phase when you were born. I was also keen to discover the secrets behind the secret society and learn what really happened in the caves.

“What if it messed up the ritual?”

There is a lot of love for this book and I had high hopes, but ultimately it wasn’t for me. We’re introduced to Romie by those grieving her so I didn’t feel the loss like I would if I’d known a character prior to their untimely demise. I didn’t connect with Emory and I got bogged down in the magic system. It probably didn’t help that I’m anti love triangles.

I’d recommend you read some 5 star reviews before deciding if this is the book for you. It’s clear that the readers who loved it really, really loved it.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Children’s Books for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Emory is returning to the prestigious Aldryn College for Lunar Magic for one reason: to uncover the secrets behind the night that left her best friend, Romie, and seven other students dead. 

But Emory has plenty of secrets herself, not least that her healing abilities have been corrupted by a strange, impossible magic, granting her power no one should possess. 

Turning to the only person she believes she can trust, Emory enlists the help of Romie’s brother Baz – someone already well-versed in the dangers of his own dark Eclipse magic. 

But when the supposedly drowned students start washing ashore – alive – only for them each immediately to die horrible, magical deaths, Emory and Baz are no longer the only ones seeking answers. 

There’s a hidden society at the heart of the school, and they’re attracted to nothing more than they are to power…

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