REVIEW Financial Feminist by Tori Dunlap

Financial Feminist: Overcome the Patriarchy's Bullsh*t to Master Your Money and Build a Life You Love by Tori Dunlap
Rating: 4 Stars
Release Date: December 26, 2022
Format: Audiobook (Personal Library, Libro.fm)
Publisher: HarperAudio

Tori Dunlap’s Financial Feminist: Overcome the Patriarchy Bullsh*t to Master Your Money and Build a Life You Love was a thought provoking and entertaining listen that details why financial independence is so important for women and gives some actionable steps on how to get there. I really enjoyed listening to the author narrate the book, as it felt like more of a conversation with her rather than a lecture or a ‘how-to’ book. It's a feminist book that focuses on money rather than a financial book that has feminist influences, but that doesn’t detract from its educational value.

While many financial books offer the same tips (i.e. how to budget, how to save, etc.), I thought the most impactful of the tips that Tori shared was the money diary. Instead of just keeping track of what you’re spending to figure out where your money is going, her suggestion is to include how you’re feeling when you spend money so you can also delve into the why. 

The author also delves into the culture and policy that have created the patriarchal biases that keep women and people of color struggling compared to straight cis white men. She doesn’t provide only her perspective though; she also invites other figures of authority to share their perspective and experiences on money imbalances. I appreciate how direct she was in encouraging women and people of color to take; financial education and voting with your dollars are two of the best ways to help improve your circumstances going forward. While it’s not going to be perfect for everyone (as she says personal finance is personal), I think it’s a great choice for those looking to improve their financial literacy and gain greater insight on how the Western system of investing and finance works.  

REVIEW Kelcie Murphy and the Academy for the Unbreakable Arts (The Academy for the Unbreakable Arts #1) by Erika Lewis

Hi friends! Welcome to my stop on the tour organized by The Children's Book Review (and in partnership with Erika Lewis) for Kelcie Murphy and the Academy for the Unbreakable Arts. Check out my post to learn more about the books, the author, and enter the giveaway!

The Academy for the Unbreakable Arts: Book Giveaway

About the Book Series

The Academy for the Unbreakable Arts

Written by Erika Lewis

A 2023 Teacher Favorites Winner (6th-8th Grade) for the Children's Book Council

Brimming with Celtic mythology, action, and danger, Erika Lewis's Kelcie Murphy and The Academy for the Unbreakable Arts introduces readers to a new kind of magical school and a warrior who must choose with which side of an epic battle her destiny will lie.

The Otherworld is at war. The Academy for the Unbreakable Arts trains warriors. And Kelcie Murphy―a foster child raised in the human world―is dying to attend.

A place at AUA means meeting Scáthach, the legendary trainer of Celtic heroes. It means learning to fight with a sword. It means harnessing her hidden powers and―most importantly―finding out who her parents are, and why they abandoned her in Boston Harbor eight years ago.

When Kelcie tests into the school, she learns that she’s a Saiga, one of the most ancient beings in the Otherworld. Secretive, shunned, and possessed of imposing elemental powers, the Saiga are also kin to the Otherworld's most infamous traitor.

But Kelcie is a survivor, and she’ll do whatever it takes to find her parents and her place in their world. Even if that means making a few enemies.

PURCHASE LINK

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REVIEW Kelcie Murphy and the Academy for the Unbreakable Arts (The Academy for the Unbreakable Arts #1) by Erika Lewis

Rating: 4 Stars

Release Date:

Format: Audiobook (Library)

Publisher: Starscape

Check out my review of the second book in the series, Kelcie Murphy and the Hunt for the Heart of Danu!

Erika Lewis’ Kelcie Murphy and the Academy for the Unbreakable Arts was an action packed and fun middle grade fantasy read. Brimming with fantastical elements and references to Celtic mythology, Kelcie is thrust into the magical world with no knowledge after living for the past eight years in the human realm. She has to work quickly to catch up to her peers, and make sure that she earns an invitation back to the Academy for her second year (or risk losing her connection to the Otherworld forever). 

Kelcie was a very relatable character. After finding out she’s not a regular human orphan, she’s desperate to know more about her family and why she was sent away. At the same time, she has to learn how to control her immensely strong elemental powers and make friends with her teammates (the members of her ‘Fiana’). There’s a lot of mystery surrounding her heritage, and it was really fun to get to see her bonds with her friends evolve. I especially liked Niall, and how his disability was displayed in the book (Everyone else in the world had an extra hand compared to Niall’s one, which was a notable comment in the book). While there is a magical element to their challenges, at the end of the day the foursome is just a group of kids trying to make it through the school year. You have bullies, you have strict teachers, and you have impossible gym classes (this time compounded by magical powers and weapons). 

The Celtic mythology was a really unique aspect of the book. I loved the world building in the book and how we got to learn about things with Keclie. With listening to the audiobook, it’s really hard to know how certain things are spelled but I had fun looking things up and getting to learn even more tidbits. Scathach was very intense as the sort of ‘headmaster’ for the academy, but she does care about her pupils and is very good at her job. Surprisingly, as compared to other books like the Percy Jackson series, individual gods are not mentioned all that much but I enjoyed it nonetheless.  

Justis Golding did an excellent job bringing the story to life with her performance in the audiobook narration. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy authors like Rick Riordan, Tamora Pierce, or Dhonielle Clayton. After the ending of the book, I’m really excited to see what’s next for Kelcie and her friends in the sequel, Kelcie Murphy and the Hunt for the Heart of Danu.  

About the Author

Erika Lewis is the author of the Kelcie Murphy Series from Starscape, The Color of Dragons from HarperTeen, Game of Shadows from Tor Books, Firebrand from Legendary Comics, and more, many of which have been published around the world.

She grew up in Virginia before going off to Tennessee for school. While at Vanderbilt University, studying Math and Theatre, she spent a semester abroad, visiting haunted ruins and magical forests that would forever spark her imagination and leave behind an insatiable need to travel.

An internship at CNN led to exciting years working in television, developing scripted and reality shows for various studios and networks. Then, one day, Erika knew it was time for her to write on her own, to build fantastical worlds that stayed with her after every return from a trip, and also to play her part in inspiring the next generation of readers and writers.

For more information, visit erikalewis.com

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REVIEW Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao

Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao
Rating: 4 Stars
Release Date: May 10, 2022
Format: eBook + Audiobook (Personal Library)
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books 

Xiran Jay Zhao’s Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor was an amazing middle grade debut. Akin to Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians series or The Kane Chronicles series meeting Yu-gi-oh, a young Chinese American boy’s life is changed forever when he discovers he is the descendant of the first emperor of China. 

This book is full of mythology, history and adventure. The author does a great job of weaving historical facts from the history of China in with the more fantastical elements (i.e. how every time a story gets told about them and added to their legend, the emperors and other spirits ‘power up’). I really appreciated how the author made things accessible and understandable for those who might not be familiar with Chinese history (both ancient and modern), as readers get to learn a lot of the stories at the same time Zachary does. It was also fun to see how modern technology played a role in the book (the first emperor botches his attempt to possess Zachary, and is now bound to his video game headset). The video game-esque fight scenes were quite amusing to read, and added a bit of a lighter tone to help balance the darker themes the author touches on in the book. China has a complex history, and the author does not shy away from criticizing some of the government’s past failings as well as their more recent ones while at the same time highlighting some of the things they love about their culture. 

The characters were quite compelling. As a second generation child of China (who has immigrated to the US), Zachary struggles with his identity. He distances himself from his heritage in an attempt to fit in, and his burgeoning feelings towards other boys don’t help either. As a middle-grade novel main character, he was very relatable. Despite his love of video games, he never asked to be a hero or to be caught up in some quest to ‘supposedly’ save the world. He has a developing sense of right and wrong (which comes to play later in the book), and at the end of the day he just wants to save his mom. 

Overall, this was a great read and I’m excited to see more set in this world (It’s written such that it implies a sequel, but there has been no word as to when that will be released). If you or a young reader in your life enjoys action packed middle grade reads complete with fantasy, mythology, and adventure, this would be a great choice. 

REVIEW Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston (Sir Callie #1) by Esme Symes-Smith

Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston (Sir Callie #1) by Esme Symes-Smith
Rating: 5 Stars
Release Date: November 8, 2022
Format: Audiobook (Borrowed from Library)
Publisher: Labyrinth Road

First of all, I want to note how much I appreciated the author's note at the beginning of the story with trigger warnings and what they hope readers take away from the book. This was one of those cases where I agree with the author’s note coming before the actual story, as it is quite helpful for giving readers an idea of what they are about to read and allowing them to make a choice for themselves.  

In Esme Symes-Smith’s first book, Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston, readers are reminded that heroes come in all shapes and sizes. Sadly, the same can be said for monsters. Callie, the nonbinary hero and main character of the story, has always known they didn’t fit into the mold of being a girl. They also didn’t fit the mold of being a boy. After years of looking up to their father, the King’s Champion, and dreaming of becoming a knight, the chance finally comes when their father is summoned back to the city to train the young crown prince before his trial. Things are much more challenging than they anticipated, however, as the people of Helston are very resistant to the idea of anything ‘different’ and have no intentions of letting them try for knighthood. Thankfully, Callie meets some friends along the way, and together they team up to save the city and challenge the restrictive gender norms they’ve been living under. 

The worldbuilding in this book is superb. If you’ve read Tamora Pierce’s Protector of the Small series, there are a lot of similarities. There’s loads of typical fantasy things like dragons, witches, and magic. There’s also a bit of Callie’s world reflecting our own - the roles that each gender is assigned are clear, and mimic the gender binary that we are most used to. Girls should be delicate and practice magic only for small things, and males should only become knights and not go anywhere near magic (or have the ability to practice it). If you don’t fit into those molds, you are essentially an outcast for life as far as the people of Helston are concerned.  

While Callie is undoubtedly the main character of the book, all of the children in the story have to face adults and other people in positions of authority who should have protected them but don’t (or at least not as much as they should). As I believe Neal says in the book, “Not all battles are fought with swords. Not all enemies want you dead.” The Lord Chancellor in particular is a jerk, and I really enjoyed the scene where someone finally stood up to him towards the end of the book. On the other side of the spectrum are the children’s allies. I appreciated getting to see the efforts that characters like Callie’s father, Neal (Callie’s pseudo-stepfather?), and the Queen made to protect their children. However, there were times that they didn’t protect them in the name of maintaining the status quo or just due to a lack of understanding and knowledge, and I sympathized with the kids so much in those moments. The author doesn’t shy away from many of the challenges that the LGBTQ community experiences, and I think it's so important that young children get to see that (especially in books like this). As Callie tells Willow after he breaks down from all of the pressures being placed upon him, “It's ok to have complicated feelings about complicated things”. 

Overall, Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston was an amazing read, and I’m so happy I was introduced to it via Tamora Pierce’s blurb (anything she recommends is always great). Dani Martineck did an excellent job bringing Callie’s perspective to life with their performance in the audiobook narration of the story. If you’re looking for a humorous heartwarming read that is LGBTQ positive and kid friendly, this would be a great choice. I’m excited to read more about the adventures of Callie and their friends with the next installment in the series, Sir Callie and the Dragon’s Roost, which is set to be released in November 2023. 

TRIGGER WARNINGS: Child Abuse (Physical, Emotional, Psychological), Misgendering, Deadnaming, Death of a Sibling, Gaslighting, Implied Suicide of a Parent, Grief, Anxiety, Trauma

REVIEW The Vanquishers (The Vanquishers #1) by Kalynn Bayron

The Vanquishers (The Vanquishers #1) 

by Kalynn Bayron
Rating: 4 Stars
Release Date: September 20, 2022
Format: Audiobook (Borrowed from Library)
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books 

I first discovered Kalynn Bayron through her young adult debut novel Cinderella is Dead, and it was exciting to also be able to read her middle-grade debut The Vanquishers (which is set to be part of a series). The book makes it clear that she excels at fairytale and mythology retellings, and I enjoyed the humorous, lighthearted, and playful story that had dashes of horror and fantasy thrown in. 

Malika ‘Boog’ Wilson and her friends have grown up in a world where vampires are real, and a group of vampire hunters known as ‘The Vanquishers’ are celebrated for having rid the world of the menace twenty years ago in an event called the Reaping. Despite the rest of the world having accepted that as being the end of the problem, Boog’s parents still insist on following all the necessary precautions (much to her dismay). After a new friend from school goes missing, Boog and friends are determined to save him but they realize the vampires might not have been as ‘vanquished’ as they thought.

There’s been a plethora of vampire mythology and lore produced throughout the years, and Ms. Bayron put a unique spin on the source material to craft her world. The synopsis from the publisher mentions influences and inspiration being taken from The Watchmen and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and I can definitely see those threads woven throughout the story. I thought it was cool to see how the Vanquishers are essentially this world's version of superheroes, and just in general how the world looks different with the knowledge that there are (or were) things that go bump in the night. 

Another highlight of the book is the characters. Boog and her friends captured my attention from the start of the story, and I found myself invested in the action quickly. I’m quite impressed with how well the author captured the pre-teen spirit, which can be quite hard nowadays (many characters are either too immature or too adult-like to appeal to a middle-grade audience). The adults were entertaining too, and I appreciated the full circle moment that happened at the end of the book. I also want to note how diverse the cast of characters is - most are BIPOC, and some of the characters are queer. It’s encouraging to see how casually inclusive the book is - the fact that Cedric has two dads or that Jules uses gender-non-specific pronouns are just everyday parts of life for Boog and the others.

Overall, this was a great book and I’m excited to read the future installments of the series. Ecstasia Sanders did an excellent job bringing Boog’s story to life with her performance in the audiobook narration. If you like humorous and spooky adventure reads with a lot of heart, The Vanquishers would be a great choice for your next read.

About the Book

In the world of the Vanquishers, vampires were history . . . until now.

Malika “Boog” Wilson and her best friends have grown up idolizing The Vanquishers, a group of heroic vampire hunters who wiped out the last horde of the undead decades ago. Nowadays, most people don't take even the most basic vampire precautions--the days of garlic wreaths and early curfews long gone--but Boog's parents still follow the old rules, much to her embarrassment.

When a friend goes missing, Boog isn't sure what to think. Could it be the school counselor, Mr. Rupert, who definitely seems to be hiding something? Or could it be something more dangerous? Boog is determined to save her friend, but is she ready to admit vampires might not be vanquished after all?

No one ever expected the Vanquishers to return, but if their town needs protection from the undead, Boog knows who to call.

Inspired by Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The Watchmen, this adventure launches readers into an exciting new series.

About the Author

Kalynn Bayron is the bestselling author of the award-winning YA fantasy CINDERELLA IS DEAD. She is a classically trained vocalist and when she’s not writing you can find her listening to Ella Fitzgerald on loop, attending the theater, watching scary movies, and spending time with her kids. She currently lives in San Antonio, Texas with her family.

Website: https://www.kalynnbayron.com/

Instagram: @KalynnBayron

Twitter: @KalynnBayron

REVIEW Pilar Ramirez and the Escape from Zafa (Pilar Ramirez #1) by Julian Randall

Pilar Ramirez and the Escape from Zafa (Pilar Ramirez #1) by Julian Randall

Rating: 3 Stars
Release Date: March 1, 2022
Format: Audiobook (Borrowed from Library)
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co 

I love reading about the mythologies and stories of other cultures from around the world, so the opportunity to learn a bit more about the Dominican Republic in Julian Randall’s Pilar Ramirez and the Escape from Zafa was an opportunity too great to pass up. Amanda Alcantara’s narration in the audiobook brings the story to life with the main character Pilar determined to solve the mystery surrounding her family member’s disappearance during the reign of dictator Rafael Trujillo in the Dominican Republic.

As a fan of fantasy and mythology, worldbuilding is very important to me and Julian Randall did a good job with that. I enjoyed the Alice in Wonderland-type journey of Pilar falling into the parallel universe, and getting to see the different creatures straight out of folk stories. Zafa is a unique place, full of demons, witches, shapeshifters, and even a magical prison. The main villain, El Cuco, is essentially the boogeyman and it was interesting to see the differences between this version and other interpretations of the character (also known as ‘El Coco’ or ‘El Cucuy’). 

While the author brings some of the most prominent Dominican folktales to life, he also provides a social commentary on the state of affairs in the Dominican Republic in a way that is very easily understandable and appropriate for younger readers. I really appreciated the way the author handled those more serious topics, and as an adult, I was inspired to do some additional research about the Trujillo era (spoiler alert: it’s a very bloody time in history, and young readers should most definitely not look for the exact details). Pilar’s heritage comes into play with the sporadic use of Spanish words throughout the book; for the most part, I think everything was explained well but there were definitely some instances where there wasn’t enough context to determine what was being said or why it was being said. For example, the overuse of ‘pues’ to start sentences seemed a bit weird; almost like the author was trying to force more of a preteen slang vibe, and I could have done without it. 

Overall, this was an entertaining and fast-paced book. The ideal audience would be somewhere in the children to middle-grade age level. I enjoyed it as an adult, but I’m not sure every adult reader would be able to take something away from the read. If you’re the type of reader (or know a young reader) who enjoys books like J.C. Cervantes’ The Storm Runner, Kwame Mbalia’s Tristan Strong, or who just wants an introduction to Dominican culture and myths, I think this would be a great choice. 

REVIEW The Marvellers (Marvellerverse Book 1) by Dhonielle Clayton

The Marvellers (Marvellerverse Book 1) 
by Dhonielle Clayton

Rating: 4 Stars

Release Date: May 3, 2022

Format:: Audiobook (Borrowed from Library)

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co (BYR)

Kids can be cruel, no matter if you’re at a regular school or a magic school situated in the sky. That’s the hard truth that Ella Durand, the main character in Dhonielle Clayton’s The Marvellers, encounters when she becomes the first Conjuror to attend the exclusive school for Marvellers. As one might expect, she encounters a less than warm welcome and Ella must team up with her newfound friends to uncover secrets and unravel mysteries before it’s too late. 

There are two narrators/point-of-view characters in this book, and that allowed for readers to learn things before the main characters did (which was super fun and added to the ‘unraveling the mystery’ element of the read). I don’t want to say who the other point of view is, because that’s a bit of a spoiler but there’s a BIG surprise twist at the end of the book. I’m excited to see how that plays out in the next installment.  

Acceptance is a strong theme throughout the story. Kids of all backgrounds get a chance to see them at this school. When Ella struggles to find a warm welcome due to being the first Conjuror accepted to the Institute, she finds a group of friends who also come from unique backgrounds and help her to maintain her resilient spirit in the face of adversity. The discrimination and harassment that Ella faces in the book mirrors that many African American people face in the U.S. on a daily basis, allowing the book to also function as a kid friendly social commentary in that regard. 

The worldbuilding in The Marvellers was fantastic. I loved how, despite the majority of the worldbuilding being new and unique, there was some inspiration drawn from real-life mythology (such as the inclusion of references to Anansi, an African god of stories). I also wanted to note how some Easter eggs I spotted while reading (I’m not sure if they were intentional or coincidental); for example, some of the names for the professors at the Arcanum seemed inspired by the names of authors in real life. For instance, there is a professor named Kwame Mbalia (possibly inspired by the author of the Tristan Strong series). 

Overall, this was a fantastic story and a fantastic middle-grade debut from Dhonielle Clayton. The narrator, Patryce Williams, did a great job bringing the story to life. As Rick Riordan said in his blurb, “I want to live in this world!” You can forget all the invitations to other magical schools and training programs because the Arcanum is the cream of the crop. Given that this story is listed as a series, I’m eager to learn what happens next for Ella and her friends in the next book, The Memory Thieves (currently due to be out in September 2023). 

About the Book

Author Dhonielle Clayton makes her middle-grade debut with a fantasy adventure set in a global magic school in the sky.

Eleven-year-old Ella Durand is the first Conjuror to attend the Arcanum Training Institute, where Marvellers from all around the world come together to practice their cultural arts like brewing Indian spice elixirs, practicing Caribbean steel drum hypnosis, and bartering with fussy Irish faeries. Ella knows some people mistrust her Conjuror magic, often deemed "bad and unnatural," but she's eager to make a good impression—and, hopefully, some friends.

But Ella discovers that being the first isn't easy, and not all of the Marvellers are welcoming. Still, she connects with fellow misfits Brigit, a girl who hates magic, and Jason, who is never found without a magical creature or two. Just as Ella begins to find her way at the A.T.I., a notorious criminal escapes from prison, supposedly with Conjurors’ help. Worse, her favorite teacher Masterji Thakur never returns from a research trip, and only Ella seems concerned about his disappearance.

As tensions grow in the Marvellian world, Ella finds herself the target of vicious rumors and growing suspicions. With the help of her new friends, Ella must find a way to clear her family's name and track down her beloved mentor Masterji Thakur . . . before she loses her place at the A.T.I. forever.

About Dhonielle Clayton:

Dhonielle Clayton is the New York Times best-selling author of the Belles series, The Mirror: Shattered Midnight, and the coauthor of Blackout and the Tiny Pretty Things duology, now a Netflix original series. She hails from the Washington, DC, suburbs on the Maryland side. She taught secondary school for several years, and is a former elementary and middle school librarian. She is COO of the non-profit We Need Diverse Books, and president of Cake Creative, an IP story kitchen dedicated to diverse representation. She’s an avid traveler, and always on the hunt for magic and mischief. Up next: The Marvellers, her middle grade fantasy debut. You can find her on social media @brownbookworm.

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REVIEW The Fae Queen's Captive (Peculiar Tastes #6) by Sierra Simone

The Fae Queen's Captive (Peculiar Tastes #6) by Sierra Simone
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Release Date: October 4, 2022
Format: eBook (Kickstarter)
Publisher: Bonkers Romance 

Sierra Simone’s The Fae Queen’s Captive, the sixth and final book in the Peculiar Tastes series, was another stellar installment to the Shadow Market universe. If you enjoy paranormal romances with heavy fae influences, a sapphic love story, and unique worldbuilding then I think you should check this book out. 

By day, Janneth Carter is an archaeologist working on another dig site in Scotland and finishing her graduate degree. However, despite her seemingly fulfilling job and life, she’s always wanted more. On Samhain, after investigating mysterious strangers at their dig site, she finds out she may have bitten off more than she can chew as she’s whisked away to the Faerie realm and to the court of the illustrious Stag Queen.

I was expecting this book to be much more like the others in the series; a paranormal romance full of explicit sex scenes with action that progresses very quickly from the first page to the last. However, despite there being no shortage of sexual counters (faeries in the Stag Court love their orgies), I was surprised to see that there’s also a sense of explored vulnerability. Janneth has always been told that her wants were wrong or made to feel lesser by those she’s been intimate with. The Stag Queen Morgana has taken up the heavy burden of being queen after the recent passing of her mother, and if you’ve seen the artwork released for the Kickstarter you’ll know that she has a very obvious physical vulnerability. Janneth and Morgana’s relationship delves into these issues, with it overall being very body positive and emotionally tender. The ending of the book was fairly predictable after reading the other stories in the series (especially The Death God’s Sacrifice), but I appreciated it nonetheless (and wasn’t too bothered by the predictability)

Ms. Simone went for it with all of the faerie references in building the world within her book, and I was practically giddy while reading because of it. I liked seeing hints of the different courts within the Faerie realms and the references to the Faerie tradition of stealing mortals and keeping them as playthings; both children and adults. I was also quite impressed to see the references to mortal interpretations of faerie stories that she included (which helped tie in Janneth’s profession to the story). 

There is shared worldbuilding between the different Peculiar Tastes/Shadow Market books, but there is little to no crossover between characters. I did enjoy the tiny Easter Egg-esque nods to the other books. For example, the druid who raises the veil every year so the Shadow Market can happen is a common reference in the book (a nod to The Death God’s Sacrifice). There are also some moments in the book that seem to reference characters from The Captive Merman’s Promise and The Demon’s Bargain. 

Overall, The Fae Queen’s Captive was another short enjoyable paranormal romance/fantasy tale. It didn’t quite have the plot twists that some of the other books had, and I’m still saddened by the fact that all the books in the series are so short, but it was an entertaining read nonetheless. I’m so excited that the Shadow Market books have introduced me to some new authors I’ve never heard of before (I was previously only familiar with Katee Robert), and it makes me excited to check out Sierra Simone’s back-list as well as the upcoming Dangerous Tides kickstart in the near future. 

CONTENT WARNINGS (Courtesy of Author): Violence, Murder (of Baddies), Blood, Explicit Sex, Hunting, Intoxication, Uneven Power Dynamics

About the Book

Save some of your screams for the queen, there’s a good girl…

Janneth Carter has given up on magic these days. She’s done being curious, insatiable, dreamy; she just wants to finish her graduate degree and spend the rest of her life as a sensible archeologist. So the last thing she expects when she goes to her dig site on Halloween night is three mysterious strangers standing outside an ancient Scottish grave.

Okay, well the actual last thing she expects is for those strangers to kidnap her and drag her into fairyland.

Once in the vivid, carnal world of Faerie, Janneth is at the mercy of the coldly lovely and incredibly cruel Stag Queen. Desperate to get home to her own world, she offers the Queen a bargain: she’ll be a willing captive, the queen’s pet, so long as the Queen promises to keep her safe until Janneth leaves Faerie.

But fae promises are complicated things, and nothing in Faerie, even pleasure—even love—comes without a price…

About the Author

Sierra is a voracious reader of all things including the smuttiest smut, young adult, piles of non-fiction for research, and everything Bill Bryson (especially on audio).

She loves writing the dirtiest things that she can think of, King Arthur, sparkling water, Tarot, coffee, leggings, and learning new words daily. 

Her previous jobs have included firing ceramics, teaching living history lessons in one-room school house in full, 1904-approved school marm attire, and working as a librarian for several years—not in that order

She lives in the Kansas City area with her husband, two children, and two giant dogs. (And two cats, but they're so naughty we don't talk about them.) 

Her novels have been published in Czech, French, German, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Polish, and Romanian. She's been featured in Buzzfeed, Cosmopolitan, Entertainment Weekly, Marie Claire, and Library Journal with a starred review.

REVIEW Demon in the Wood (Grishaverse #0) by Leigh Bardugo, Illustrated by Dani Pendergast

Demon in the Wood (Grishaverse #0) by Leigh Bardugo, Illustrated by Dani Pendergast
Rating: 4 Stars
Release Date: September 27, 2022
Format: eBook (Borrowed from Library) + Audiobook (Personal Library)
Publisher: Roaring Book Press  

I wasn’t all that familiar with Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse books prior to the release of Shadow and Bone on Netflix. However, since then I’ve gone back and explored them and the characters are just as awesome on page as they are on screen. The Darkling, in particular, is one of the more memorable young adult fantasy villains I’ve read about. In the graphic novel Demon in the Wood (illustrated by Dani Pendergast), Leigh Bardugo gives readers a glimpse into the Darkling’s history from before he became the feared Shadow Summoner and general most are familiar with him as. 

In the world of the Grishaverse, Grisha are typically looked upon as other by those without the ability to practice the small science. The Darkling is the feared Shadow Summoner who leads the Grisha when we first meet him in the Shadow and Bone novel, and readers quickly learn that he has a strong hatred for non-Grisha. Hate is not something people are born with though, and Demon in the Wood shares a small part of his background and how his hatred for otkazat’sya developed. I really enjoyed seeing Baghra as well as the other characters who make an appearance in the graphic novel.

I already knew Leigh Bardugo’s writing was excellent but Dani Pendergast’s illustrations are awesome and really pulled the story together. Graphic novels, by nature, don’t have a ton of verbiage to them so you have to rely heavily on what you see. Each of the panels added to the story and moved the action forward. No transitions felt abrupt or forceful. Normally, I would be fine with just the graphic novel but if you’re a fan of audiobooks. I highly recommend listening to the audiobook version simultaneously to reading the graphic novel. Ben Barnes (the actor who plays the Darkling in the Netflix show) leads an amazing full cast production of the story, and their narration really elevates the reading experience.  

Overall, Demon in the Wood was a short entertaining read. A definite must for any fans of the Grishaverse! 

About the Author

Leigh Bardugo is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Ninth House and the creator of the Grishaverse (now a Netflix original series) which spans the Shadow and Bone trilogy, the Six of Crows duology, the King of Scars duology—and much more. Her short fiction has appeared in multiple anthologies including The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy. She lives in Los Angeles and is an associate fellow of Pauli Murray College at Yale University.