Can’t-Wait Wednesday: Green and Deadly Things

Happy Wednesday! It’s been over a month since I’ve had a break between these. There are just so many interesting looking books coming out lately, and they’re just not stopping!

Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Tressa @ Wishful Endings (and was previously hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine where it was known as Waiting on Wednesday) to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about that we have yet to read. They’re usually books that have not yet been released.

This week’s book is:

Green & Deadly Things by Jenn Lyons! 🌿🪾

Green & Deadly Things by Jenn Lyons

Green & Deadly Things by Jenn Lyons

LENGTH: 432 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Tor Books

RELEASE DATE: 3 March 2026

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Centuries ago, necromancy almost destroyed the world. That’s how history remembers it.

Mathaiik has studied all his life to join the sacred order of the Idallik Knights, charged with defending their world from the forces of necromancy and the grim witches who practice it. Only vestiges of that cursed magic remain–nothing like the fabled days of the Grim Lords, the undead wizards who once nearly destroyed the entire world.

Until monsters once more begin to wake. But something about them is even stranger: whole forests coming alive and devouring anyone so foolish as to trespass, formerly peaceful animals mutating into savage carnivores… as if the land itself has turned upon humanity, in a riot of chaotic magic the Knights quickly prove powerless to stop.

It’s a good thing, then, that the Grim Lords were never truly destroyed. One of their number sleeps below the Knights’ very fortress. And when an army of twisted tree monsters attacks the young initiates in his charge, Math decides to do the unthinkable: he wakes her up.

This is only the beginning of his problems. Because said necromancer, Kaiataris, knows something history has forgotten. The threat of this wild magic is part of a cycle that has repeated countless times: life after death, chaos after order. And if she and Math can’t find a new way to balance the scales, this won’t just be the end of the world as they know it, but the end of all life, everywhere.

Are you looking forward to Green & Deadly Things? What other books are coming out in the next few weeks that you’re looking forward to?

As always, thank you all so much for reading and have a fantastic day/night!

See ya ~Mar

First Line Friday: 2/20

Happy Friday everybody! It’s been a few weeks!

First Line Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers (formerly) hosted by Wandering Words, but I saw it over at One Book More.

What if instead of judging a book by the cover, author or most everything else, we judged it by its content? Its first lines?

If you want to join in, all you gotta do is:

📚 Take a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open it to the first page
📝 Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
📙 Finally… reveal the book!

Here are the first lines:

Green died and then he didn’t.

He twisted his ankle and toppled off the curb. Pain flashed as his cheekbone hit the blacktop. Twenty feet away, the crushing mass of a city bus rolled toward him.

Do you know what the book is? Here are another couple of hints if you don’t…

Still don’t know the book? Here are some lovely pictures of books to look at while you think about it…

Annnd the book is… 🥁🥁 Strange Animals by Jarod K. Anderson!

(Didja guess it?)

Strange Animals by Jarod K. Anderson

Strange Animals by Jarod K. Anderson

LENGTH: 320 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Ballantine Books

RELEASE DATE: 10 February 2026

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

An ordinary man discovers a hidden world of wondrous supernatural creatures – and an unexpected home – in this enchanting contemporary fantasy debut.

Cryptonaturalist: one who studies cryptids; an expert in or student of supernatural history.

After a series of inexplicable encounters upends his life, Green finds himself alone and terrified in the Appalachian mountains, full of questions about the transformation he’s undergoing and the impossible creatures he’s starting to see.

When he meets a hermit named Valentina, he realizes that something more than chance has brought him to her door. For she has devoted centuries to researching the hidden world of cryptids that Green is only now beginning to perceive.

As Green begins his studies beneath her watchful eye, he comes face to face with time-stopping giant moths, cyclops squirrels, and doorways to elsewhere. Along the way come clues about his own nature and the powerful beings who led him here – and, most wondrous of all, a sense of fulfillment like nothing he’s felt before.

But Green’s new happiness promises to be short-lived, because alongside these marvels lurks a deadly threat to this place he’s already come to love.

Featuring incredible creatures and an unforgettable cast of characters, Strange Animals is a charming, addictive fantasy about the magic all around us.

What books have you been reading lately? What’s on your TBR that you’re currently the most excited about?

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

See ya ~Mar

Can’t-Wait Wednesday: The Legend of the Nine-Tailed Fox

Happy Wednesday! It’s been four of these in a row now! I’m on a roll! (Thanks to all the new interesting looking books coming out, of course.)

Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Tressa @ Wishful Endings (and was previously hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine where it was known as Waiting on Wednesday) to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about that we have yet to read. They’re usually books that have not yet been released.

This week’s book is:

The Legend of the Nine-Tailed Fox by Katrina Kwan! 🦊🔥

The Legend of the Nine-Tailed Fox by Katrina Kwan

The Legend of the Nine-Tailed Fox by Katrina Kwan

LENGTH: 320 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Fiction

PUBLISHER: S&S/Saga Press

RELEASE DATE: 24 February 2026

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

From the author of The Last Dragon of the East comes a sweeping fantasy adventure with a dash of romance between a nine-tailed fox and the demon-hunter who captures her, banished to the underworld together and forced to form a reluctant alliance in order to escape the circles of Hell.

Yue may be the last of her kind. At night, she stalks the streets of the capital city of Longhao, luring in unsuspecting victims with the mask of a beautiful woman, then consuming them in her true form of the nine-tailed fox.

When she is captured by a powerful demon hunter named Sonam and banished to Hell, she manages one final act of revenge: dragging him – and two of his subordinates – down with her.

Now trapped in an abyss with unimaginable terrors, they’ll need each other’s help to navigate Hell and bypass the gods who preside over each circle, each of whom presents the group with a unique and deadly challenge. Forced to depend on one another as they claw their way out of the underworld, both demon and demon hunter discover that there might be more to the other than meets the eye.

Are you looking forward to The Legend of the Nine-Tailed Fox? What other books are coming out in the next few weeks that you’re looking forward to?

As always, thank you all so much for reading and have a fantastic day/night!

See ya ~Mar

Can’t-Wait Wednesday: Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter

Hey everyone and Happy Wednesday!

Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Tressa @ Wishful Endings (and was previously hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine where it was known as Waiting on Wednesday) to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about that we have yet to read. They’re usually books that have not yet been released.

This week’s book is:

Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawsett! 🐈‍⬛📚

Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawsett

Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawsett

LENGTH: 368 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Del Rey

RELEASE DATE: 17 February 2026

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

From Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author Heather Fawcett comes a healing and heart-warming fantasy with magic shops, rescue cats and a second chance at love.

All strays are welcome here.

Agnes Aubert is very fond of making lists. These lists kept her afloat when she lost her husband two years ago. And now, as the founder of a cat rescue charity, her meticulous organization skills feel like the only thing standing between her beloved cats – His Majesty, Banshee and sweet elderly Thoreau, to name a few – and utter disaster.

But when Agnes is forced to move the charity, she soon discovers that her new shop is being used as a front; right under her feet is the lair of the decidedly disorganised – not to mention self-absorbed and infuriatingly handsome – Havelock Renard.

Havelock is everything Agnes doesn’t want in her life: chaos, mischief, and a little too much adventure. But as she gets to know him, she discovers he’s more than the dark magician of legend, and that she may be ready for a little intrigue, perhaps even romance. After all, second chances aren’t just for rescue cats…

Are you looking forward to Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter? What other books are coming out in the next few weeks that you’re looking forward to?

As always, thank you all so much for reading and have a fantastic day/night!

See ya ~Mar

Can’t-Wait Wednesday: Strange Animals

Happy Wednesday everybody!

Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Tressa @ Wishful Endings (and was previously hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine where it was known as Waiting on Wednesday) to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about that we have yet to read. They’re usually books that have not yet been released.

This week’s book is:

Strange Animals by Jarod K. Anderson! 🌲🦋

This one looks pretty cool! It’s been forever since I’ve last read a book focused on cryptids!

Strange Animals by Jarod K. Anderson

Strange Animals by Jarod K. Anderson

LENGTH: 320 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Ballantine Books

RELEASE DATE: 10 February 2026

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

An ordinary man discovers a hidden world of wondrous supernatural creatures – and an unexpected home – in this enchanting contemporary fantasy debut.

Cryptonaturalist: one who studies cryptids; an expert in or student of supernatural history.

After a series of inexplicable encounters upends his life, Green finds himself alone and terrified in the Appalachian mountains, full of questions about the transformation he’s undergoing and the impossible creatures he’s starting to see.

When he meets a hermit named Valentina, he realizes that something more than chance has brought him to her door. For she has devoted centuries to researching the hidden world of cryptids that Green is only now beginning to perceive.

As Green begins his studies beneath her watchful eye, he comes face to face with time-stopping giant moths, cyclops squirrels, and doorways to elsewhere. Along the way come clues about his own nature and the powerful beings who led him here – and, most wondrous of all, a sense of fulfillment like nothing he’s felt before.

But Green’s new happiness promises to be short-lived, because alongside these marvels lurks a deadly threat to this place he’s already come to love.

Featuring incredible creatures and an unforgettable cast of characters, Strange Animals is a charming, addictive fantasy about the magic all around us.

Are you looking forward to Strange Animals? What other books are coming out in the next few weeks that you’re looking forward to?

As always, thank you all so much for reading and have a fantastic day/night!

See ya ~Mar

First Line Friday: 1/23

Hey there. It’s been a bit since I last participated in First Line Fridays – about a month, actually.

First Line Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers (formerly) hosted by Wandering Words, but I saw it over at One Book More.

What if instead of judging a book by the cover, author or most everything else, we judged it by its content? Its first lines?

If you want to join in, all you gotta do is:

📚 Take a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open it to the first page
📝 Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
📙 Finally… reveal the book!

Here are the first lines:

Time has no borders except those people make. On this particu-larly cold autumn day, Ishikawa Hana fashioned that border out of the thinnest layer of skin.

Do you know what the book is? If you don’t, here are another couple of hints…

Still have no idea? Here are some lovely and cozy pictures of books to admire while you think about it a little longer…

Annnd the book is… 🥁🥁 Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao!

(Didja guess it?)

Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao

LENGTH: 374 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Contemporary, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Del Rey

RELEASE DATE: 14 January 2025

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

On a backstreet in Tokyo lies a pawnshop, but not everyone can find it. Most will see only a cosy ramen restaurant. And just the chosen ones – those who are lost – will find a place to pawn their life choices and deepest regrets.

Hana Ishikawa wakes on her first morning as its new owner to find the pawnshop ransacked, the shop’s most precious acquisition stolen and her father missing. And then into the shop stumbles a charming stranger, quite unlike other customers. For he offers help, instead of seeking it.

Together, they must journey through a mystical world to find Hana’s father and the stolen choice – through rain puddles, hitching rides on paper cranes, across the bridge between midnight and morning and through a night market in the clouds.

But as they get closer to the truth, Hana must reveal a secret of her own – and risk making a choice she will never be able to take back.

What books have you been reading lately? What’s on your TBR that you’re currently the most excited about?

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

See ya ~Mar

The Ashfire King by Chelsea Abdullah | Book Review

Every story is a memory. A tale that happened neither here nor there, but in another time and place. Our job as story-tellers is to describe that reality as we understand it. It is the listener who must determine what is and is not.

The Ashfire King by Chelsea Abdullah

The Ashfire King by Chelsea Abdullah

SERIES: The Sandsea Trilogy #2

LENGTH: 529 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Orbit

RELEASE DATE: 15 April 2025

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

A thief and a prince trapped in the crumbling, magical realm of the jinn must figure out how to save one world in order to return to their own in The Ashfire King, the second book in this epic series of myth and magic, perfect for fans of The City of Brass and The Bone Shard Daughter.

Neither here nor there, but long ago… After fleeing a patricidal prince, legendary merchant Loulie al-Nazari and banished prince Mazen bin Malik find themselves in the realm of jinn. But instead of sanctuary, they find a world on the cusp of collapse.

The jinn cities, long sheltered beneath the Sandsea by the magic of its kings, are sinking. And amid the turmoil, political alliances are forming, and rebellion in the jinn’s capital city is on the rise. When Loulie saves the life of a dissenter – one of her bodyguard’s old comrades – she puts herself in the center of a centuries-old war.

Trapped in a world that isn’t her own and wielding magic that belongs to a fallen king, Loulie must decide: Will she carry on someone else’s legacy or carve out her own?

My Review

There is no such thing as a single truth. There are just the stories we tell others, and the ones we tell ourselves.

It’s been quite some time since the first book in the Sandsea Trilogy. This is true for me as well even though I read and reviewed The Stardust Thief about a year after it came out, I’m also reading and reviewing its sequel nine months after it first released. So it’s been almost as long for me as it had been for everyone else last April.

I don’t know why it took me so long to read The Ashfire King. I got the book the day it came out and I was so excited about it (it was one of – if not my most – anticipated new book of last year), but then I just… didn’t read it. Part of it is because I was currently in the middle of another series and I wanted to wait to read anything else, I think. I’m disappointed it took me this long to read it, though.

Anyway, to the review!

General Thoughts

“So long as I breathe, I will not falter. To live is to persevere. For the world, and in spite of it.”

I did enjoy this book a lot, though not as much as its predecessor – that one I loved. I think it might be because it was a little slower, plus I didn’t vibe nearly as strongly with it as I did the first book. Oh well, I still liked it, though.

When we left our characters at the end of The Stardust Thief, the party was split. Qadir was captured by Omar, Loulie and Mazen were hurtling down into the jinn realm with the ifrit Rijah, and Aisha was fleeing into the desert.

And The Ashfire King pretty much continues from where the first one left off. It should be noted that the book starts off with one of the trilogy’s ‘story sections’ and this one kind of gave a little summary of what happened in the first book, which was very nice after the gap. It was integrated well into the story itself, as well, since there was a new character introduced that needed to be caught up on the events of book one. Not to mention it was in-character, what with Mazen being a storyteller and all.

The Characters and Story

She gasped at the sight of the compass in his hands.

Her compass.

Loulie stifled a cry as she grabbed it from him. The moment she felt its magic humming beneath her fingers, she grinned. Even had she wanted to, she could not have smothered that smile.”You went back for the compass?”

“You came back for me. It was the least I could do.”

Speaking of the main characters, they each continue to have their own little arcs here. Loulie is desperate and determined to get back to the surface and find Qadir, and she’ll do whatever it takes. Mazen is struggling with Omar murdering their father the sultan, his uncertainty of Hakim’s whereabouts, and his fear of returning home. Aisha has sworn revenge on Omar for lying and betraying her, whilst she deals with sharing a body with the Resurrectionist after their bargain in the first novel. And Qadir and what happened to him is unknown, though it is strongly implied he’s been captured by Omar. And everyone’s character development was extremely compelling here – I ultimately really enjoyed where they all ended up at the end of the book.

The plot was pretty slow, as I mentioned earlier. There were a lot of big moments throughout, but the book didn’t really ‘pick up’ so to say until almost two thirds of the way through. I’m not sure if this is a case of middle book syndrome, or if this book is just kind of slower just because it is, but I don’t recall the first book being as much of a slow-burn. I remember being pretty invested in that one for almost the whole time. Don’t get me wrong, the plot here was interesting and I enjoyed all the character moments. But parts of it did feel slow.

The Romance and Writing

Remembering the last time they had flown-the last time he had convinced Loulie to fly – he smiled and said, “Are you scared, Loulie?”

She cast a sharp look back at him. Just as they had been then, her eyes were filled with defiance. She gave him the same answer.

“Never.”

The climax was great though, and I generally liked the ending (except for the cliffhanger – ugh). The romance and relationship development is also a very slow-burn, but that was fine as it works for this story and makes sense with the characters. (I will confess to being unsure of its existence occasionally, however, with how slow it is, lol.)

The novel’s writing is also just as strong as its predecessor. I again also really enjoyed the way the little story sections were written and stylized. It’s probably one of my favorite things about this series.

Final Thoughts

His dedication flummoxed her. But then she realized she felt the same way. She did not know when it was she had come to rely on Mazen bin Malik, but at some point, the thought of losing him had become unbearable.But he was safe. They were safe.

But he was safe. They were safe.

For a moment, Loulie let herself believe it. She leaned her cheek into Mazen’s chest and thought, I refuse to lose anyone again.

Somehow, she would make certain of it.

The Ashfire King is a pretty good sequel to The Stardust Thief, and it clearly sets up the third book in the trilogy well. I definitely recommend it to fans of the first book – I think they’ll probably enjoy it. I also think it’s a good read anytime of the year, though you should definitely only read it if you’ve read the book one.

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

See ya ~Mar


MY LINKS:


First Line Friday: 12/19

Happy Friday, everybody! Wow, it’s been a couple of months – I didn’t mean for that to happen!

(Edit: Who accidentally scheduled this for today and had to fix it in post? And also didn’t notice until now because they were busy yesterday and then crashed last night? Couldn’t be me. Definitely not. Ugh. I have got to stop doing this.)

First Line Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers (formerly) hosted by Wandering Words, but I saw it over at One Book More.

What if instead of judging a book by the cover, author or most everything else, we judged it by its content? Its first lines?

If you want to join in, all you gotta do is:

📚 Take a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open it to the first page
📝 Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
📙 Finally… reveal the book!

Here’s the first line:

My big brother reaches home in the dark hours before dawn, when Leven ghosts take their rest. He smells of steel and coal and forge. He smells of the enemy.

Any ideas on what book it is? If you don’t, here’s another couple of hints…

Still have no idea? Here are some lovely pictures of books to admire while you think about it…

Annnd the book is… 🥁🥁 An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir!

(Didja guess it?)

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

SERIES: An Ember in the Ashes #1

LENGTH: 464 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction

PUBLISHER: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

RELEASE DATE: 28 April 2015

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free.

Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.

It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.

But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.

There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier – and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined – and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

What books have you been reading lately? What’s on your TBR that you’re currently the most excited about?

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

See ya ~Mar

Can’t-Wait Wednesday: An Arcane Inheritance

Happy Wednesday everybody!

Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Tressa @ Wishful Endings (and was previously hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine where it was known as Waiting on Wednesday) to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about that we have yet to read. They’re usually books that have not yet been released.

This week’s book is:

An Arcane Inheritance by Kamilah Cole! 🪄📔

An Arcane Inheritance by Kamilah Cole

An Arcane Inheritance by Kamilah Cole

LENGTH: 416 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Speculative Fiction, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Poisoned Pen

RELEASE DATE: 30 December 2025

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

A modern-day dark academia fantasy with a twist, perfect for fans of Babel and A Deadly Education.

Warren University has stood amongst the ivy elite for centuries, built on the bones – and forbidden magic – of its most prized BIPOC students… hiding the rot of a secret society that will do anything to keep their own powers burning bright. No matter who they must sacrifice along the way.

Ellory Morgan is determined to prove that she belongs at Warren University, an ivy league school whose history is deeply linked to occult rumors and dark secrets. But as she settles into her Freshman year, something about the ornate buildings and shadowy paths feels strangely…familiar. And, with every passing day, that sense of déjà vu grows increasingly sinister.

Despite all logic, despite all reason, despite all the rules of reality, Ellory knows one thing to be true: she has been here before. And if she can’t convince brooding legacy student Hudson Graves to help her remember a past that seems determined to slip through her fingers as if by some insidious magic… this time, she may lose herself for good.

Are you looking forward to An Arcane Inheritance? What other books are coming out in the next few weeks that you’re looking forward to?

As always, thank you all so much for reading and have a fantastic day/night!

See ya ~Mar

Penric’s Demon & Penric and the Shaman by Lois McMaster Bujold | Book Review

“The gods do not act for our ends, but for Theirs. Presumably, the god has some interesting future in mind for you-for you two. This is not a blessing. Good luck. You’ll need it.”

Two book reviews in a week! Or, I guess since in this post I’ll be talking about two novellas, it’s three book reviews in one week. Haven’t done that in a while – not since earlier this year when I reviewed the first three books in the Ascendance Series.

Anyway, I read the first two novellas in the Penric and Desdemona series a couple weeks ago. And I enjoyed them both a fair amount. It took this long to do this review because I wanted to catch up on my other books reviews on books I Read before these two, and then I couldn’t decide if I wanted to either make this one or two reviews. Obviously, I chose to do the former.

But yeah, let’s get onto the review proper!

Penric’s Demon by Lois McMaster Bujold

SERIES: Penric & Desdemona #1

LENGTH: 129 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Spectrum Literary Agency, Inc

RELEASE DATE: 6 July 2015

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

On his way to his betrothal, young Lord Penric comes upon a riding accident with an elderly lady on the ground, her maidservant and guardsmen distraught. As he approaches to help, he discovers that the lady is a Temple divine, servant to the five gods of this world. Her avowed god is The Bastard, “master of all disasters out of season”, and with her dying breath she bequeaths her mysterious powers to Penric. From that moment on, Penric’s life is irreversibly changed, and his life is in danger from those who envy or fear him.

Set in the fantasy world of the author’s acclaimed novels THE CURSE OF CHALION, PALADIN OF SOULS and THE HALLOWED HUNT, this novella has the depth of characterization and emotional complexity that distinguishes all Bujold’s work.

My Review

“You looked a god in the eyes and bore witness for me, by which alone I am preserved.” She took a deep breath, through his mouth. “You looked a god in the eyes. And spoke for me. There is nothing in my power that I will ever refuse you, after that.”

My favorite thing about novellas in general is that they tend to be faster paced than full novels usually are. They’re shorter and therefore have fewer pages to get to the point, and I appreciate that. I tend to enjoy books that are fast-paced is all.

And Penric’s Demon is no exception to this – it’s pace is relatively quick and enjoyable. My favorite thing about this particular novella is the characters, however. Or, at least the two main ones (and another one who isn’t, but we’ll get to her). Penric is our protagonist here, and he’s a lovable ball of awkwardness that I enjoyed following. Desdemona is the demon that he accidentally acquires and is also a fantastic character. I felt that their growing bond and frequent banter was the strongest aspect of this book, and it was definitely my favorite thing about the novella.

I also really liked Ruchia, the old woman who dies at the very beginning of the book. (It’s not a spoiler because it happens less than ten pages in and is in the plot summary.) We don’t get to know her at all well before she passes away, but the stories that are told about her after the fact made me love her and wish we could have seen a little more of her before her death. But I understand why that’s not possible – she is the inciting incident, after all.

The plot and world building were both interesting, especially to someone who hadn’t been exposed to Bujold’s other works before this one. I know that the Penric and Desdemona series of novellas take place in a world the author has previously written in, and are spin-offs, but I had no trouble understanding anything. Bujold explains how her world works in a clear and concise way, and I didn’t feel like I was missing anything by not having read any other books in the World of the Five Gods. And I thought it was a solid little book.

So yeah, that’s what I thought of the first novella. Now, let’s move onto the next one!

Penric and the Shaman by Lois McMaster Bujold

SERIES: Penric & Desdemona #2

LENGTH: 145 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Spectrum Literary Agency, Inc

RELEASE DATE: 23 June 2016

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Young Lord Penric now wears the white robes of the Bastard’s Order, complete with shoulder braids marking him as a divine and sorcerer, while he pursues scholarly studies in the court of the Princess-Archdivine. His demon of disorder, Desdemona, is, of course, present, accounted for, and offering clever commentary, particularly when she grows bored. And so when a Locator of the Father’s Order shows up on the Archdivine’s threshold in need of a sorcerer for a journey and she volunteers Penric, at least Des is thrilled with the prospect of an adventure. As they travel into the mountains to locate Inglis, a shaman accused of murdering his best friend, the situation grows into a test for all of Penric’s developing talents.

Multiple-award-winner and bestselling author Lois McMaster Bujold returns to her World of the Five Gods, the setting of her acclaimed novels The Curse of Chalion, Paladin of Souls, and The Hallowed Hunt. Set four years after the events detailed in the Hugo and Locus Award finalist for Best Novella, Penric’s Demon, Bujold’s newest installment of Penric and Desdemona’s tale is a breaktaking must-read novella for her legion of fans.

My Review

“Your head seems very, uh, crowded,” Oswyl offered at last, into the rather blighted silence that followed this.

“Very,” said Penric. He brightened. “But at least I never lack for tales.”

I found that I enjoyed Penric and the Shaman a little less than Penric’s Demon. Don’t get me wrong – it was still a good book! – I just preferred the first one.

Penric and Desdemona and their bond was the strongest part of book one, and I feel that it was the same way in this one. But this novella featured two additional point-of-views instead of just Penric’s like in its predecessor, so there ended up being far less of the two of them, which was disappointing. But I did like what the new character POVs – Oswyl and Inglis – added to the narrative and it was really interesting seeing Penric and Desdemona from the outside, so I didn’t hate it or anything.

There’s also a pretty decent time skip between the two books, but I didn’t mind it, even though it skipped Penric’s training arc. This also has the added bonus of us seeing how Penric grew into himself, and how he and his demon have finally synchronized as a team.

I also really enjoyed seeing more of this world. As I mentioned above, this is my first experience with this setting. I liked it during the first novella and I’m glad I got to observe more of it.

Penric, propped up on one elbow, studied him thoughtfully. He finally said, “A bit of free theological advice. Do not deny the gods. And they will not deny you.” As Oswyl stared at him, he went on, “Dangerous habit, mind you. Once you start to let Them in through that first crack, They’re worse than mice.”

So yeah, that’s what I thought about the first two novellas of the Penric and Desdemona series. They were both pretty good, even if I did enjoy one a little more than the other, and I definitely recommend it even if you havent read anything in the World of the Five Gods before. I think there’s a pretty decent chance I might come back to it someday, too. For now though, I’m gonna try to get back at my TBR.

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

See ya ~Mar


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