The Merciless Ones by Namina Forna: Blog Tour & Book Review

Deka returns once again, her friends in tow (a found family of deathshrieks, alaki, and ex-jatu alike), and the recently awakened goddesses behind her – a true force to be reckoned with. But things in Otera are never how they may first appear. And more is brewing under the surface than even Deka the Nuru, the daughter of the goddesses, realizes. Revelations that will once again shake Deka to her core, and send everything she thought was true crumbling to pieces…

In The Merciless Ones, Forna takes Otera, a world already filled to the brim with a vast, rich, and diverse culture, and expands it even further! Through the sequel to The Gilded Ones, Deka’s world is further explored, more locations visited, more residents introduced, and even more of its history brought to light.

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Namesake by Adrienne Young: ARC Book Review

After the absolute cliff-hanger of an ending, Namesake picks up exactly where Fable left off.

Separated from the crew of the Marigold and her only allies in a world full of thieves and crooks, Fable must make her way back to them as best she can. But that’s easier said than done, and more than one surprise may be sailing towards her. Along the way, Fable finds herself in deep water, and at the crosshairs of a political affair she never could have foreseen. While trying to untangle the web of lies and half-truths that surround her, Fable soon learns more about her mother than she could have ever hoped to… And that knowledge may just change everything.

Wings of Ebony by J. Elle: ARC Book Review

Wings of Ebony tells the story of Rue, a Black teen from Houston, who also happens to be half-god. When her mother is shot dead on her doorstep, Rue learns of her absent father’s heritage – and why he’s been forced to stay away. Soon, and against her will, she’s taken to the magically hidden island of Ghazan, where she’s given the gift of magic, but restricted from ever returning to where she grew up, East Row.

But with the anniversary of her mother’s death approaching, Rue can’t help wanting to go back to her old neighbourhood and check up on her little half-sister, Tasha. So, her and her Ghazani friend, Bree, develop the means for her to leave the island undetected… But things quickly spiral out of control when Rue’s forced to save her sister’s life in a near-fatal accident.

And soon Rue learns her two worlds, that of East Row and Ghazan, are not so disconnected after all.

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna: Blog Tour & Book Review

There were so many things that drew me to this book initially, and I’m not just referring to the gorgeous cover art. A West African-inspired feminist high fantasy series about warrior women? It’s no exaggeration to say The Gilded Ones had one of the best premises I’d ever heard of. And was, of course, one of my most anticipated reads for 2021!

And let me start by saying, that this book did not let me down. In fact, it exceeded my expectations. Pushing the boundaries of my assumptions for YA fantasy, The Gilded Ones went far beyond what I ever could have imagined. It’s rare to find a widely anticipated book that not only meets but surpasses your hopes – but on this front, The Gilded Ones most certainly delivers.

Lava Red Feather Blue by Molly Ringle: ARC Book Review

Lava Red Feather Blue is a modern-day, urban fantasy, queer re-telling of Sleeping Beauty. But unlike in the fairy tale, this story doesn’t end when the princess – or in this case, the prince – awakens. In fact, that’s where the story begins.

Merrick Highvalley is an endo witch (a witch who can alter only himself), and a descendent of the infamous Rosamund Highvalley, the only witch to ever possess all three magical abilities (endo, exo, and matter); the witch who famously put Prince Larkin into a deep sleep over 200 years ago. But what history books don’t know is that Prince Larkin – hailed as being the most benevolent prince to ever exist after sacrificing himself to help put Ula Kana, a evil fire fae, to rest as well – was entrapped against his will by Rosamund Highvalley herself.