book rec

Book Review: Don’t Let the Forest In by CG Drews

It hadn’t hurt, the day he had cut out his own heart.

Don’t Let the Forest In by CG Drews

LENGTH: 327 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Horror, LGBT+, Young Adult, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Feiwel & Friends

RELEASE DATE: 29 October 2024

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Once upon a time, Andrew had cut out his heart and given it to this boy, and he was very sure Thomas had no idea that Andrew would do anything for him. Protect him. Lie for him.

Kill for him.

High school senior Andrew Perrault finds refuge in the twisted fairytales that he writes for the only person who can ground him to reality – Thomas Rye, the boy with perpetually ink-stained hands and hair like autumn leaves. And with his twin sister, Dove, inexplicably keeping him at a cold distance upon their return to Wickwood Academy, Andrew finds himself leaning on his friend even more.

But something strange is going on with Thomas. His abusive parents have mysteriously vanished, and he arrives at school with blood on his sleeve. Thomas won’t say a word about it, and shuts down whenever Andrew tries to ask him questions. Stranger still, Thomas is haunted by something, and he seems to have lost interest in his artwork – whimsically macabre sketches of the monsters from Andrew’s wicked stories.

Desperate to figure out what’s wrong with his friend, Andrew follows Thomas into the off-limits forest one night and catches him fighting a nightmarish monster – Thomas’s drawings have come to life and are killing anyone close to him. To make sure no one else dies, the boys battle the monsters every night. But as their obsession with each other grows stronger, so do the monsters, and Andrew begins to fear that the only way to stop the creatures might be to destroy their creator…

My Review

Below them something scraped softly over the snowy path. The world smelled of sweet cloying decay, rotten leaves, and earth.

Happy Friday the 13th! What a perfect day to review a horror novel! Anyway, I really liked Don’t Let the Forest In. I had a feeling that I would, but my gut isn’t always correct when it comes to books, so it was nice that I was right this time.

The characters were all very compelling. I liked the main character, Andrew Perrault. From the get go, it’s immediately apparent that he has flaws and that there’s a lot going on with him. He’s a more reserved protagonist, but I didn’t mind that at all. He’s also one of my new favorite unreliable narrators. Thomas Rye was also a great deuteragonist. His personality both contrasts and complements Andrew’s very well, and they match each other nicely. They’re a writer and an artist – a perfect pairing. I enjoyed the side characters as well, like Lana, Chloe, as well as Dove, Andrew’s twin sister.

I really liked how surreal the story felt, both because of the prose and because of the way the narration is. There’s something not quite right about everything going on and it itches at the back of your mind throughout most of the plot, until things finally come to a head near the end of the novel.

“I think someday you’ll hate me.” Thomas’s voice stretched with a loneliness Andrew had never heard before. “You’ll cut me open and find a garden of rot where my heart should be.”

Andrew let the silence sharpen between them, waited until Thomas’s breath caught in quiet anguish from being made to wait. “When I cut you open,” Andrew finally said, “all I’ll find is that we match.”

The romance was also well done. I’m not always into books where most of the romance is just yearning. But because of all the horrific things going on, it felt fitting. It really fits in well with the rest of the narrative. And it also helped that Andrew and Thomas both had a lot of natural chemistry.

The horror aspect was probably my favorite thing about Don’t Let the Forest In. I preferred it over the last book I read that focused on horror, Snow Drowned. (Though I do appreciate Eldritch horror sometimes as well.) I tend to prefer it when it’s macabre and surreal like it is here. The way the writing is also accentuates this facet of the novel really well, with the unnatural line breaks within sentences and paragraphs, as well as emphasized and repeated words. I’ve heard people found it reminiscent of E.E. Cummings, and I find that I agree.

Sometimes there was no stopping pain. There was just seeing how much you could swallow before it spilled out your throat.

I also found several elements about the book reminiscent of The Other by Thomas Tryon, an old horror book from the early 1970s. (If you’re also read it, you’ll know what I’m getting at.) And because parts of this book reminded me so much of it, I was able to catch many of the twists extremely early on (I figured out one of them by chapter two or three). This isn’t even close to a bad thing, because I love getting to the end of a book even if I’ve figured things out and being validated that I guessed correctly. The author’s writing style itself is entertaining enough where it also kept me very engaged through the whole novel, as well.

Last but certainly not least, the art here was also amazing, and not just the cover either (though I love that the most). The interior sketches are phenomenal, and they help highlight so many of the scenes that they’re included in. It was great to get a visual of some of the monsters. I also liked the little writings from Andrew’s notebook scattered throughout most of the book, too.

To write something nice, he’d need something nice to say. But his ribs were a cage for monsters and they cut their teeth on his bones.

So yeah, Don’t Let the Forest In was an absolutely solid book. I enjoyed basically everything about it honestly, though not quite enough for a perfect star rating. I’m not sure why – maybe because I’ve read The Other already, and that had already set such a high standard. This was still an excellent novel though. Definitely recommend it.

Anyway, as always, thank you to everyone so much for reading, and I hope you have an awesome day/night!

See ya ~Mar

MY LINKS:

Goodreads
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The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa | Book Review

Books have tremendous power. There are timeless stories, powerful enough to have survived through the ages. Read lots of books like these – they’ll be like friends to you. They’ll inspire and support you.

The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa

The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa

SERIES: The Cat Who… #1

LENGTH: 198 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Magical Realism, Fiction

PUBLISHER: HarperVia

RELEASE DATE: 29 October 2024 (originally released 5 February 2017)

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Bookish high school student Rintaro Natsuki is about to close the secondhand bookstore he inherited from his beloved bookworm grandfather. Then, a talking cat named Tiger appears with an unusual request. The feline asks for – or rather, demands – the teenager’s help in saving books with him. The world is full of lonely books left unread and unloved, and Tiger and Rintaro must liberate them from their neglectful owners. 

Their mission sends this odd couple on an amazing journey, where they enter different mazes to set books free. Through their travels, Tiger and Rintaro meet a man who leaves his books to perish on a bookshelf, an unwitting book torturer who cuts the pages of books into snippets to help people speed read, and a publishing drone who only wants to create bestsellers. Their adventures culminate in one final, unforgettable challenge – the last maze that awaits leads Rintaro down a realm only the bravest dare enter…

My Review

“Reading a book is a lot like climbing a mountain.”

“What do you mean?”

His curiosity piqued, Rintaro had finally looked up from his book. His grandfather wafted his teacup slowly under his nose as if savoring the aroma of the tea.

“Reading isn’t only for pleasure or entertainment. Some-times you need to examine the same lines deeply, read the same sentences over again. Sometimes you sit there, head in hands, only progressing at a painstakingly slow pace. And the result of all this hard work and careful study is that suddenly you’re there and your field of vision expands. It’s like finding a great view at the end of a long climbing trail.”

I haven’t read a translated book for over a year and I’ve only ever read and reviewed two so far on this blog – one in 2023 and then one in 2024 (not counting One Piece, as that’s a little bit different) – and I’ve wanted to get into another novel like that again for a while. So when I received The Cat Who Saved Books as a gift a couple of months ago, I was excited. And not only is it a foreign novel, but it features the perfect duo – a cat and books. So I knew I had to read it. And I’m glad I’m finally reviewing it.

This book isn’t quite what I expected. Admittedly, this may be because it’s been a couple of months since I looked at the synopsis and I skimmed it when I read it, but I was surprised a little bit by the novel. I’m honestly glad that I forgot what it was about though, as I believe that I enjoyed it more because of it.

The Characters

“You seem strangely unperturbed to see me, Mr. Proprietor,” said the cat in its distinctive deep voice. Its jade eyes had that knowing gleam. “It’d be helpful if you reacted with a little more amazement. I would be much more amused.”

“I’ve been thinking about how you called where we went ‘the first labyrinth.’ That means there’s going to be a second one, right?”

“Such amazing powers of wisdom. Such penetrating in-sight! Guess that’ll save me the trouble of explaining.”

The book follows 👓 Rintaro Natsuki, 📖 a hikikomori (“shut-in”) bookworm that recently lost his grandfather, and is struggling with moving forward. He doesn’t have much time to grieve, however, as very soon after a talking tabby cat named 📚 Tiger 🐾 shows up and demands he go on a quest with him to save books.

I liked Rintaro, and felt he was pretty relatable, as someone who’s always been an introvert who loves books, as well as someone who lost an individual very dear to me quite recently. It was also wonderful to see him gradually come out of his shell and create bonds with others as the novel went on. His interactions with Tiger and his new friend Sayo were particularly fun. 🖋️ Sayo Yuzuki 🗒️ complemented him pretty well, too, and their budding romance was cute.

The ✨ magical realism 🌀 aspect of the book was also fantastic. I haven’t read too much of that kind of thing, so I always forget how whimsical stories with it can feel. This is also definitely a fantasy book, but the magical realism was definitely stronger.

The Story

“A book that sits on a shelf is nothing but a bundle of paper. Unless it is opened, a book possessing great power or an epic story is mere scraps of paper. But a book that has been cherished and loved, filled with human thoughts, has been endowed with a soul.”

I really enjoyed the meta commentary on the modern day relationship between people and books. So many people nowadays frequently do the things featured in the labyrinths here. In the book community, there are tons of individuals who point out and complain about how people don’t really read books like they used to. And how some will just get books that they’ll never read to fill up a bookshelf so they’ll look smart. Or how people will frequently just look up summaries or exclusively use Spark Notes and [Insert Book Title] for Dummies instead of reading. Or how publishers will basically always publish the most popular thing and it’s hundreds of copycats (though this is something that’s kind of always been a thing).

But yeah, it was nice to see a book point this out, particularly one that actually came out before these topics started being big discussions in the book community. I also loved the 🍀 hopeful and optimistic tone 🤞 that The Cat Who Saved Books had concerning books and how humans are changed and inspired by them. Because books are powerful.

I also liked how there weren’t really any antagonists or villains here, not truly. Just misguided individuals who loved books, but who lost their way at some point. The book also comes together and ends nicely.

Final Thoughts

“Books have souls,” repeated the cat softly. “A cherished book will always have a soul. It will come to its reader’s aid in times of crisis.”

The calm, measured voice warmed Rintaro’s heart. He looked over and saw the cat faintly smiling.

“I told you that you weren’t alone.”

The thing that I thought was probably the weakest – or at least the most awkward part of the novel – was the translation. But that’s usually one of my biggest issues whenever I read a book that was originally in a different language. This translation was one of the better ones, but it did take me a couple of chapters to get into it, as the text felt pretty clunky at first. But, I did get used to it after a while, and it was definitely a pretty decent translation.

The 🖌️ novel’s artwork 🎨 was also beautiful. I love the cover, as well as the cloud motif, that’s present both inside of the outside of the novel. The main colors chosen are also gorgeous and complement and contrast one another wonderfully.

I definitely recommend The Cat Who Saved Books to those who enjoy magical realism, like to read translated fiction, and are huge book nerds. I know books that were originally in another language aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, which is why I mention it. But this is also a good book. I definitely enjoyed and am glad that I ended last year finishing a book I liked.

As always, thank you to everyone so much for reading, and I hope you have an awesome day/night!

See ya ~Mar

MY LINKS:

Goodreads
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The Glass Scientists: Volume Three by S.H. Cotugno | Book Review

That’s who I was. Who knows who I’ll be next?

The Glass Scientists Volume Three by S.H. Cotugno

The Glass Scientists: Volume Three by S.H. Cotugno

COMIC: The Glass Scientists

LENGTH: 240 pages

GENRES: Science Fiction, Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Graphic Novel, LGBT+, Fiction

PUBLISHER: G.P. Putnam’s Sons

RELEASE DATE: 2 December 2025

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Witness the epic conclusion to the webcomic phenomenon about star-crossed lovers and misunderstood monsters in this third and final graphic novel!

Last we saw Dr. Jekyll he was on stage about to welcome everyone to his grand exhibition—the event meant to save his Society for Arcane Sciences and his way of life—when he collapsed, pulled under by his devilish alter ego Mr. Hyde. When he wakes, Jekyll assumes everything is doomed, but in a surprise to just about everyone, he couldn’t be more wrong. The event was a success, his band of rogue scientists now all have patrons, and business is booming. What’s more, he even plucks up the courage to do the scariest, craziest thing of all: confess his feelings for Lanyon. Everything is finally coming up Jekyll!

Oh, if only the good scientist remembered his physics, because what goes up must inevitably come crashing down. Just when everything Jekyll has worked and hoped for is finally within his grasp, the barrier between his dueling personalities is shattered. Both Jekyll and Hyde are thrown into a constant wrestling for control of both their minds and bodies, which seem to switch without rhyme or reason. In the chaos, Jekyll’s secret has never been more at risk of being exposed, and he won’t get any help concealing it from his other half. Hyde has finally gotten a taste of life as a free man, and if Jekyll (or anyone else) dares to take it away, well, we should all brace for impact.

My Review

“Will you please… help me save the Society?”

Yes! I’m finally posting this review! And then I’ll be all caught up on my book reviews and stuff!

Anyway, as with the other two volumes of this graphic novel, I really enjoyed The Glass Scientists: Volume Three. It concluded the very well-done retelling of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde that Cotugno started years ago in a very satisfying way. I won’t spoil anything, but I will say that the ending here is definitely different from the story this is based on.

Everything I said in my review of volume one of this comic still stands, regarding some of the plot and especially the characters. So I’m not going to really talk about them as much because I feel that I’d be being a little redundant there. A lot of the stuff I said in my review of volume two can also be applied here, but so much of Volume Three builds on a lot of the set up in the last couple of chapters of Volume Two in particular, so I’ll be talking about that more. (Not that anything isn’t set up in Volume One but… you know.)

In this volume of The Glass Scientists, everything between Jekyll and Hyde is finally coming to a head. Lanyon and Jekyll’s slow-burn romance finally culminates here, and it’s lovely while it lasts. Because after that everything kind of starts to unravel. And it’s a wild emotional ride to the end from there. I touched on the angst that starts in Volume Two. Well, it’s in full force here. Jekyll and Hyde have a lot of shit to sort out, and said sorting out is what takes up most of the pagetime in this volume. And it’s awesome.

The art is still amazing and I really enjoy it. I really like the author’s art style in general, actually. And, of course, there’s extra stuff here like in the other two volumes. And I loved it. Cotugno not only gives us insights to their creative process and development of their characters, but also provides us with an open-ended epilogue that was very good.

So yeah, I’m sorry if I’m not talking about the plot or characters as much as I usually do in my reviews, but this is Volume Three in a graphic novel and I don’t want to spoil too much. The Glass Scientists is a solid retelling of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde though, and I loved all of the references to other stuff written in the 19th century. I still super enjoyed this volume and definitely recommend it to fans of volumes one and two, gaslamp fantasy, comics and graphic novels and the original novel The Glass Scientists is inspired by.

As always, thank you to everyone so much for reading, and I hope you have an awesome day/night!

See ya ~Mar

MY LINKS:

Goodreads
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What Stalks the Deep by T. Kingfisher | Book Review

“That is horrifying and I want to go home,” I said, although I pronounced it, “Ah. I see.”

What Stalks the Deep by T. Kingfisher

What Stalks the Deep by T. Kingfisher

SERIES: Sworn Solider #3

LENGTH: 179 pages

GENRES: Horror, LGBT+, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Tor Nightfire

RELEASE DATE: 30 September 2025

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

The next novella in the New York Times bestselling Sworn Soldier series, featuring Alex Easton investigating the dark, mysterious depths of a coal mine in America

Alex Easton does not want to visit America. 

They particularly do not want to visit an abandoned coal mine in West Virginia with a reputation for being haunted. 

But when their old friend Dr. Denton summons them to help find his lost cousin—who went missing in that very mine—well, sometimes a sworn soldier has to do what a sworn soldier has to do… 

My Review

“Another fungus?” I asked sharply. Denton drank down his whiskey and signaled for another one. Ingold watched me, his arms folded, and I wondered how much Denton had told him about what we saw in the tarn.

“Not a fungus,” Denton said, when the waiter had left again. “At least, I don’t think so. But more lights in the deep.”

I was very pleased with What Stalks the Deep. It was definitely a step up from What Feasts at Night and, to me at least, nearly on par as the first novella in the Sworn Solider series, What Moves the Dead.

Alex Easton and Angus are back in a brand new adventure, and they’re both just as wonderful as before. Especially Angus, he’s the best – the highlight of every scene that he’s in. Easton is great too, of course, and I love their narration, but Angus is just… Angus.

“We’ll get to the wasps in a moment,” said Denton. “May I introduce my friend, Mr. John Ingold? John, this is Lieutenant Alex Easton and Angus… ah… forgive me, it occurs to me that I don’t actually know your full name.”

“No one does,” said Angus gruffly.

This book also features the return of Dr. Denton, who was a major supporting character in the first novella. It was nice to see him again. Denton contacts the two for help locating his cousin, actually, which is what sets off the plot of the book. We’re also introduced to a new character, Ingold, who through his connection with Denton, is far more interesting than the characters introduced in book two.

The story here also pulled me in more than the one in the second novel, and the atmosphere was back on point. It’s a little different when compared to What Moves the Dead, but the vibes were similar enough to draw me in the same way. The setting was also a little bit more interesting to me. Nothing like a small town and a creepy old mine to set the tone.

Unlike What Feasts at Night, I actually enjoyed the monster here, as well as the twist involved with it. Similar to the story and atmosphere, the creature feature here was more akin to the one in the first book, which I felt was far better than in the second one. Less supernatural this time around, which I appreciated. The buildup also reaches a satisfying conclusion for me, and I enjoyed how things wrapped up.

“Rules of life,” Angus said. “Be true to your friends, don’t cheat at cards, don’t piss on the less fortunate, and don’t steal other people’s skeletons.”

“You just added that last bit now,” I said.

“Obviously should’ve been there all along.”

What Stalks the Deep was a solid addition to the Sworn Solider series, with a return to form with its monster, unsettling setting and tone, and fast pace. If there’s ever another addition to the series, I’ll definitely read it. I think fans of this series will like the continuation, as well as fans of Kingfisher’s other horror stories.

As always, thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have an amazing day/night!

See ya ~Mar

MY LINKS:

Goodreads
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Aurora: Volume #1 by Red | Book Review

This is a world unlike any other.

It began as a tomb.

Aurora: Volume #1 by Red

COMIC: Aurora

LENGTH: 384 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Graphic Novel, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Andrews McMeel Publishing

RELEASE DATE: 29 July 2025

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Fans of the hit webcomic Aurora, will delight in the first series installment in print, which follows a found family of heroes on a journey to save a god from an immortal witch. 

The shining city of Vash in the world of Aurora is protected by a great and powerful god of the same name, but even Vash’s incarnation cannot withstand the Collector, an immortal sorceress bent on unmaking the world. Vash’s city is destroyed and his soul abducted, leaving only ruins and the wounded, empty body of his incarnation. When newborn soul Kendal awakens in the body, he is driven to rescue the imprisoned Vash. Now Kendal must grapple with living as a mortal and defeating a force powerful enough to sunder the gods.

Kendal is aided by the friends he makes along the way: Alinua, a volatile elven hermit terrified of her uncontrollable life magic; Erin, the prideful Elemental Magus, master of all six elements, who is burdened with a world-shattering curse; and Falst, a surly beastman trying to find his way in a world that hates him. Together, they will journey through magic and mystery, explore perilous environments, and confront ancient forces. Stars dance beyond the shimmering curtains of Aurora; it is time to draw those curtains back…

With exclusive author commentary and bonus story content, Aurora (Volume 1) has plenty for both fans and new readers to enjoy. 

My Review

There is more to this world. More to this story

But first, we must begin to tell it…

Aurora is a webcomic that I’ve been following for years, and I’ve hoped for a long time that it might get the physical release treatment. Red’s art is absolutely beautiful and her storytelling is amazing. I could gush all day about this webcomic.

The story follows a group of six protagonists, though as of Aurora: Volume 1 only four have officially joined the party and been properly introduced (though protag number five appears frequently throughout the novel). The story (so far) follows their journey towards another continent in order to help one of the group from an antagonistic force that is directly affecting them, as well as the long-term goal of stopping the Collector, the other primary antagonist of the comic.

The Characters

“What fills a vessel that was crafted to contain a god?”

Our lead is 🌀 Kendal 🗡️ who awakens in the god Vash’s abandoned incarnated body after the Collector steals Vash’s soul. His goal is to save Vash from her, and he learns to live along the way.

🩹 Alinua 🌿 is the first person Kendal meets, and is also the first one to join him on his quest. She has a fascinating backstory that is introduced when we meet her, as well as an interesting connection to the Life primordial that is still unanswered.

📚 Erin ✨ is the third member of the group, and he has quite the introduction to Kendal and Alinua. He’s the mage of the group –  and his connections as the Elemental Magus specifically are a huge advantage to the party. He’s got a weird thing going on with the Void Dragon, another major antagonist in the comic along with the Collector, though the two are unaffiliated.

The last member of the group introduced in this volume is 🌳 Falst 🐾 a Ferin. The Ferin are a group of people whose ancestors were tragically altered by depraved mage and who passed their curse – that of a strong and sturdy animal-like form – to their descendants. He’s kind of the rogue of the group.

The Story and Art

“Do you want to go alone?”

“Not really.”

“Me neither. Easy choice.”

🖊️ The plot 📒 is still ongoing and is continually intriguing the more it unfolds. The story we get here is the first half of Act I, so a lot of it is introductory, but it’s still very good and it never feels like the plot is slowing down. 🖋️ The lore 📜 of Aurora is also fascinating, and it never feels forced whenever the story dips into it. Red’s world building and magic system are also impeccable, and the world of the story feels lush and lived in. I also really love the extra stuff that Red added in for the physical release, like Erin’s journal entries and the new supplemental comic fragments. It all really fleshes out the story more, and is gonna make cohesion a bit better when the story gets further along.

I adore 🖌️ the art 🎨 of this fantasy comic. The art direction is great and the colors are so pretty. I just love Red’s art style in general, and as someone who is still following the webcomic, it gets even better as the story goes on. I also love all of this extra stuff that’s been added to the physical release, like Erin’s journal entries.

Final Thoughts

“Mages like to think it’s our power that makes us special. It’s the other way around. Without us, magic has no power.”

Before I close out this review, it would be remiss if I didn’t mention a couple of things about the creator of Aurora. Mostly because I think people reading this are probably going who the heck is Red? Well, Red is one half of Overly Sarcastic Productions, a YouTube channel that focuses on summarizing literature, mythology and historical events. In a bit of a sarcastic fashion, of course. Red focuses on the literature and mythology side, while he co-conspirator Blue does the historical stuff. (Interestingly enough, Blue also has a book coming out this year that I’m also looking forward to reading.)

Anyway, those were my thoughts about Aurora: Volume 1. I think it’s great so far and – knowing what’s coming up since I follow it online – it’s only gonna get better. Hard recommend to those who enjoy comics and graphic novels as well as fantasy.

And as always, thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have an amazing day/night!

See ya ~Mar

MY LINKS:

Goodreads
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How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps by Andrew Rowe | Book Review

“No, of course I’m not sure it’s a good idea. I am sure, however, that it’s something I want to do. Something I need to do. This world needs saving, Ken.”

How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps by Andrew Rowe

How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps by Andrew Rowe

LENGTH: 162 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Fiction

PUBLISHER: S&S/Saga Press

RELEASE DATE: 4 April 2025 (originally published 2020)

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

The LitRPG bestseller releasing in a stunning new deluxe hardcover edition, now with a new Afterword.

For thousands of years, there has been a cycle: a Demon King rises and conquers, and a Hero is reborn a hundred years later to defeat him. Each time, civilizations are ground to dust beneath the Demon King’s hordes, but humanity has remained secure in the belief that a Hero of legend will always save them. There’s just one slight problem. It’s only been twenty-three years since the Demon King’s latest rise, and this time, he’s already conquered more than half the world. If humanity simply waits for the Hero’s return, there may be no world left for him to save.And so, Yui Shaw sets out with an ambitious plan. A ten-step plan.

And so, Yui Shaw sets out with an ambitious plan. A ten-step plan.

She’ll find a way to obtain the Hero’s legendary sword. She’ll earn obscure classes, gain levels, and increase her skills. She’ll travel to the meticulously-crafted dungeons that seem designed for one specific Hero to complete. And, if she’s truly (un)fortunate, she might even find a fairy.

My Review

I may not be a Hero, but I will not wait and watch the world burn. I will not take comfort in the knowledge that the goddesses will send someone else to save us. It may not be something I was chosen for, but I will make my own path. I will break the cycle. And I will show this world that anyone can save it, if they try.

I’ve been a Legend of Zelda fan for many years. I love the puzzles, the exploration, the story and the characters – as well as the gameplay, of course. Everything about it is just amazing to me, even with all of Zelda’s evolutions and changes over the years.

Why is this relevant, you may ask?

Because How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps is a love letter to The Legend of Zelda series. As well as a parody. And it’s great at being both of those things. The author clearly knew what they wanted to do with this novella, and did a great job of doing it.

Anyway, math aside, Ken barely managed to yelp and jump to the side of my sudden jet of a thousand gallons of water flying in his direction. He glared down at me, folding his arms. “You put the sacred lake back where it belongs right now.”

“Don’t wanna.” I stuck my tongue out at him. If he was going to talk to me like I was a child, I’d play along.

Our protagonist and POV character is Yui Shaw. She’s very determined and is not afraid to take crazy risks, and I enjoyed following her point-of-view. She’s quickly joined on her adventure to save the world by Ken Sei, a sword-wielding, fashionista of a healer. They played off of and complemented each other pretty well – I loved their friendship.

There are other characters introduced that also join the party in one form or another, and another character that doesn’t truly join the group but helps in other ways, who are all plot crucial. But they’re all kind of spoiler-y, so I’ll stop where I’m at. I did really like all of them, as well as the punny names that pretty much all of the major characters had.

The plot was pretty barebones, but that’s okay because it was a parody. Not that it didn’t have any flavor or uniqueness to it, it did, it just wasn’t the main focus until later in the second half of the novella. As much as I loved the riffing on the Zelda stuff, I also loved a few of the plot twists included nearer to the end, even if they were kinda predictable. The humor in this book was also on point. (I think I normally would’ve figured all of them out, but I was just kind of cruising along with this book and enjoying myself. I also finished it in one sitting, so I didn’t really take any time to try to predict stuff or guess what was gonna happen next.)

The references were probably my favorite part of the book. I just… love the Zelda series and you can tell the author does too, so the references felt really nice. Especially to a long time fan like me who’s been into the games for like twenty years. I think I’ll include some of my favorite quotes that are references (or sort of references) at the end of this review.

“Am I going to regret helping you with this?” I gave him a shrug.

“Do you regret helping me so far?”

“I’m undecided.”

So yeah, I really enjoyed How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps. It wasn’t purple prose or anything gloriously written like that, but it didn’t need to be, and it was fantastic for what it was. If you like Lit-RPG fiction, or are a fan of The Legend of Zelda or both, you’ll probably like this book. I highly recommend it.

Not only was this novella rereleased this year with a beautiful new edition on Kindle, but there’s an awesome hardcover version coming out this September with sprayed edges that I’m definitely interested in. There’s also apparently a sequel in the works, which I’m excited about. I’m looking forward to seeing how this parody continues!

And as always, thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have an amazing day/night!

See ya ~Mar

Favorite Reference Quotes and Stuff:

“And then there was Water Temple Hero, who was supposedly the most powerful Hero of all time, but disappeared into the Water Temple, never to return.”

I walked over to the block, then shoved it. It slid to the left. There was a melodic sound, then the seal on the left door opened. Ken stared at me in wide-eyed shock.

“Yui…how did you…?”

“It’s a block, Ken. There are really only so many things you can do with it.”

Two fires burned on the left and right sides, seemingly without origin. In the center stood a bearded old man. “So. You have finally come…” he said, then broke into a cough.

The old man cleared his throat, standing up a little straighter. “Behold: The westmost peninsula hides a great secret.”

I blinked. “O…kay? What sort of secret?”

The old man shrugged. “I have no idea.”

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. “Thank you, that’s very kind of you. I don’t suppose you could tell us who you are, or how you knew we were going to be here? Are you one of the descendants of the sages, perhaps?”

“Hmpf.” The figure crossed their arms. “I am nothing. No one. Simply a wandering ninja, and definitely not a princess of the royal family.”

With a moment of concentration, I removed a magic torch stolen from the Wood Temple’s walls from my Inventory. It bathed the room in light, but little else.

“You…dare…bring…foul…light…into…my…domain…?” The voice seemed to echo all around me.

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Behooved by M. Stevenson | Book Review

Virtue of Mercy. I was married to a horse.

Behooved by M. Stevenson

Behooved by M. Stevenson

LENGTH: 336 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Romance, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Bramble

RELEASE DATE: 20 May 2025

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

A charming slow-burn romantasy featuring a duty-bound noblewoman with a chronic illness, a prince who would rather be in a library than on a throne, and a magical ride through a world of cozy enchantment.

Bianca knows her duty comes before her heart. So when the threat of war looms, she agrees to marry the neighboring kingdom’s heir. But not all royal weddings are a fairytale, and Prince Aric, Bianca’s betrothed, is cold, aloof, and seems to hate her on sight.

To make matters worse, on their wedding night, an assassination attempt goes awry—leaving Aric magically transformed into a horse. Bianca does what any bride in this situation would do: she mounts her new husband and rides away to safety.

Sunset returns Aric to human form, but they soon discover the assassination attempt is part of a larger plot against the throne. Worse, Bianca has been framed for Aric’s murder, and she’s now saddled with a husband who is a horse by day and a frustratingly attractive man by night.

As an unexpected romance begins galloping away with their hearts, Bianca and Aric must rely on each other to unravel the curse and save the throne.

My Review

In any case, whoever my betrothed proved to be, I would learn soon enough, and I would match him. Blade for blade. Move for move. Perhaps even heart for heart – though I knew better than to count on the last. It didn’t matter. Noble marriages were built on necessity, not love. And this was the right choice. The only one. I had to see it through.

Behooved is a new romantasy novel by M. Stevenson. It has a fairytale-esque quality to it that I really like, and pretty good world building with an interesting take on the various ways ri channel magic. And, of course, the cover is absolutely gorgeous – one of the best book covers I’ve seen in a while.

🏵️ Bianca of Damaria 🗡️ is our point-of-view character here, as well as our leading lady. She’s a fierce fighter tainted in several different weapons, inwardly compassionate and takes her duty to her country very seriously. Bianca was a great protagonist to follow, and I enjoyed following her story. I also liked the portrayal of Bianca’s chronic illness.

📚 Aric of Gildenheim 🐎 is our deuteragonist, as well as Bianca’s love interest. Gildenheim’s heir and prospective king, he’s kind, but very reserved and socially awkward. He’s more soft-spoken than Bianca, but no less determined than her, even if he prefers the library over weapons. It was fun to watch these two fall in love.

I thought that 🖊️ the story 📄 was also pretty good, even if the plot really slowed down once or twice. It was definitely one of the stronger parts of Behooved, however, and it kept me pretty engaged for the most part. This book also didn’t let a lot of the things that hold other romantasy books back do the same for it. For example: sacrificing plot and logic and well-written characters for (often poorly written) romance and smut.

“I’m afraid,” I said, releasing a truth. Revealing my deepest weakness. “I’m afraid of wanting what I know I can’t have.”

A muscle flickered in Aric’s jaw. “What makes you so certain you can’t have it?”

Speaking of 💕 the romance 💞 aspect of this novel, it also wasn’t egregious (unlike most romantasy I’ve read). The characters end up falling in love in a way that makes sense, they have clear reasons they’re attracted to one another aside from looks and the situation the two are trapped wherein they end up bonding doesn’t feel forced. I will say that I found the chemistry to be pretty lacking between Bianca and Aric, and I definitely wouldn’t consider this book to be the slow-burn the book description/summary professes it to he, but the romance is fine as a whole. There’s also a few spicy scenes for those who enjoy them.

🖌️ The artwork 🎨 on the cover, as I mentioned previously, is stunning. It’s definitely one of my favorite things about this book. The cover is originally what got me interested in reading this book, actually. I love how it’s literally split day and night, and how the colors contrast on both sides. The paperback edition of Behooved also has pretty pink sprayed edges that really matches the rest of the outside of the novel. I’ll stop gushing now, though I could go on. (I think I might end up doing a Bewitching Book Covers on this one.)

-Strength isn’t about what your body can do,- Aric went on. -It’s about how you respond to adversity. And I’ve never known someone so determined to do the right thing, no matter the personal cost.-

So yeah, Behooved was a pretty good book, and a phenomenal addition to the romantasy genre. I definitely recommend it to people who like romantasy, but also like a plot that generally makes sense, likable characters and an awesome magic system.

Anyway, as always, thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have an amazing day/night!

See ya ~Mar

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