The Secret of Briar Rose - thorny, dark and superlative

 How do you summarize a book that is morbid, unforgiving, whimsical and maddeningly un-put-downable? This gem from Cindy Pham is stark, sharp and bony in places that make you weak and uncomfortable and yet agonizingly true... In the rich realms of sleeping beauty, there draws a sharp line of reality, with hunger, loss and death turning selfishness into a trait and cowardice, a comfort opposed to the tyrannical suppression of rebellion.

Cindy Pham scores harsh lines and scathes through the blistering and impoverished ruins of a once thriving kingdom, while, alternatingly, she travels back a 100 years to delve into the mystery of Amelia or Briar Rose, whose disappearance severed the land from sustenance, reducing its inhabitants to a hopeless populace awaiting death's embrace...

Cindy dismantles a happy fairytale with slashes of apathy and misconstrued villains and hurt heroines who are abashed to face their true selves. this book read more like a poem or dirge to loss but with a beautiful cycle bringing the dream to closure.

I thoroughly enjoyed this moody, atmospheric and world shattering breed of writing - amorphous and yet brutal at the same time!! Loved the dreamscape of the otherworld and Mal is my absolute die-hard favorite! teeming with emotions and brimming with flashbacks and deep seated insecurities and personal failings, this is one dark, lush and visceral read!!

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for making my wish come true! 

#Junereleases #darkfairytale #visceralreads

A curse of Beasts and Magic - Spunky ER Nurse x Grumpy Magical Warden

 If you love a spunky heroine hurtled into an unfamiliar world of magic, if you love suspense and slow but sure burns, a penchant for multigene cultures and peoples, arcane plots and angst riddled protagonists, then this amazing gem is your modern day fairytale!!

Jeaniene Frost layers the plot as ER nurse Raine Stone saves a blundering old man and suddenly finds herself foul of a Warden - a supreme magical human with the ability to control creatures, particularly the wilde Beast that feeds on violence, that caused the destruction of Raine's family and subsequently resides in her...

Tavia Gilbert gives such a tension to this audiobook rendition, the uncertainty and control that drives Raine as the mistress of her beast and her calm under stress attitude in the face of all these obscure legends coming to life are dealt with nuance and panache! The romance scenes were well articulated and the characters got their unique tones and accents in keeping with the Irish, Indian and other melanges scattered through the tale.

All in all this made for a lovely, fast paced and thoroughly enjoyable listen on a 4 hour hike and then the drive back - Definitely recommend if you love a twisted fairytale and heroines who are all heart!

My supernaturally imbued gratitude to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for granting my wish! and my eternal allegiance to Ms Frost for opening my ears to this series!

#AcurseofBeastsandMagic #Macmillanaudio #Netgalley #MayFantasyReads #TwistedFairytales

The River She Became - Mellifluent ode to Multicultural Fantasy

 If you are a scholar at heart, if the nuance of rebellion, the ability to research and collect artefacts rather than direct combat appeals to you, if your senses are titillate by riddles and quests and undetermined loyalties and complex emotions tug your heartstrings, if your pulse races at the heart of espionage and you thirst for magic, then this book is ABSOLUTELY for you!!

Pulled into the dark and grim world of Yaseema Nazir, we learn her land is being deprived of magical artefacts provided by the Pari, who barricaded themselves across the river, by the ignominious citadel. A Citadel scholar by day and an archivist unearthing the magical fae objects before the Citadel can gain their hands on them, Yaseema is in the search of a rare artefact that can allow her to cross the river into the lands of the Pari.

When she finally does so, she realizes that even the Paris are subservient to the court of Salt, who have muted the Court of Rivers powers, and everyone is in search of the crown of the ancient fae Queen. Racing against the clock, rebels, and her own heart and people. Yasmina slowly discovers what exactly is worth fighting for and the real meaning of sacrifice.

I LOVED how this book delved into a new culture, with different magic types and creatures and the letters in the journal of Yaseema's mom were my favorite! Kian, as the lost prince, and viceroy's guard is also a fascinating character. The slew of supporting characters, both present and absent, made their indelible impact in the development of Yaseema's arc. I raced through the book in two days and cannot wait for the sequel.

Safiyya Ingar is marvelous as the narrator of this ALC - her ability to infuse the uncertainty and nasal renditions of the Viceroy's soliloquy are simply perfection! The loneliness in both Kian and Yaseema and their angst at not being able to assist the ones they love are palpable in each chapter and Safiyya voices them with an apt timbre!

My shukriyas to Macmillian Audio and Netgalley for making my listening dreams come true!

Every Exquisite Thing - Grotesquely hauntinv tale on the pitfalls pf chasing perfection

 Beauty is but skin deep... or is it? 

If you love Us and the Picture of Dorian Gray, then this modern acting school take on the consequences of chasing beauty is hauntingly fantastic!!!

Lauren Stephens crafts a moody, grotesque snd thrilling storyline from the pitfalls of chasing beauty as a sense of control and identity, enmeshed within the annals of Dorisn Gray's portrait.

Lauren take a sharp veer left into the pitfalls of being preserved - your mental, physical and emotional state as a stasis, and it is guttingly thought provoking. The macabre and surrealism suffused into this Gothic and sapphic novel is amazing!! It gives you chills, thrills and claws into your sense of self, forcing you to contend with the why of what's happening and reallize the impact of societal norms... fascinating and superbly sinister!!

My gratitude to St Martin's Press and Netgalley for providing the arc. This was a dark, suspenseful read, best carried out in the dark, away from mirrors....

#everyexquisitething #stmartinspress #netgalley

Behind Five Willows - Austen-taciously Oriental slowburn

 I have been a fan of June Hur since I came across A Crane Among Wolves novel and was spurred on by the Pride and Prejudice retelling this promised - I was NOT disappointed!!!

First off, the historical accuracy in pulling together a tale backed by history is a reckoning in itself and to make those harsh mores the backbone of a thriving Pride and Prejudice x She's got Mail crossover is nothing short of miraculous. June uses her seasoned tone to evoke the angst and the feeling of inferiority that a loss of rights and restrictions will impose on the women - especially strict edicts on reading fiction as detrimental to society, is inconceivable!  

Caught in this feudal mindset is the Shin family - June imbues magister Shine, his Missus and especially Yeonhee with such redeeming characteristics - the trust and concern that Magister Shin embodies, the loss of ability to protect her daughters that Missus Shin rues and the sheer optimism and forthright expectations of equality that Yeonhee imbues are just staggering in terms of the novel's best parts. Haewon as the strong and determined daughter shaping her destiny, through devious stratagem, actively participating in scribing novels and enjoyigng reading them whilst she works, in a bid to earn money and secure her future despite the diminishing matrimonial prospects and her own idealism in terms of freedom and self worth. 

Now on to the romance, Seojun and Haewon are correspondents, author and scribe the black lotus and the magpie.. One, a scion of a noble house, wed to strict decorum and moonlighting as a novelist. His future is set in stone as he is to be wed to the Minister of Rites beautiful daughter and further this career. As he contemplates ending his career, he runs into Haewon, her impassioned speech about reading and her outrageous boldness in action, startle him out of his shell as he starts to ponder the worth of happiness versus the execution of duty.

The exchange of thoughts. letters and book recommendation MADE the book come alive!!! I already am trying to find translations of the authors and books mentioned - and I doubt anyone who loves reading will be able to resist the lure of these thoughtfully penned verses exchanged...

All in all, if you love Austen, redemption arcs and a slow burn exchange of ideals and a budding romance, this book is definitely up your alley,

My heartfelt thank yous to Macmillian Children's Publishing Group and Netgalley for making my Austen-taciously Oriental dreams come true!!

my heart soars with the freedom of words set to ink, 

delightful as cherry blossoms fluttering in the wind, 

supple as the willows bending with the breeze, 

yet strong and real when all else ceases to be..

#BehindFiveWillows #JuneHur #MayReleases

Rani Deshpande takes the wheel - desi romcom with plenty of tadka

 If you love a good collegiate romcom about finding yourself, effacing self doubt and meeting the enormous expectations of parents and enduring the scrutiny of a close knit community, then this breezer by Arushi Avachat runs right by your alley!!! 

With an immerssive Marathi cultural explosion, from the linguistics to the virtual, Arushi transforms the college crush fest into a bumpy, twisty ride, rife with miscommunication, misplaced rage and misdirected prejudices... Rani, for me, embodies the modern south Asian, totterubg the fine line between meeting cultural expectations whilst finding her own space and voice without the well meaning, yet often, judgemental community overtones.

Kush as tge perpetually good son, is also a character whose layers keep coming off.. if you loved Bend it like Beckham , then you will absolutely revel in this desi taka infused driving test!!

A fun, flirty and wholesome beach read, best enjoyed with sabudana kichdi - as you like it!!

Lots of love to St Martin's Press and Netgalley for approving this arc!! Looking forward to more from the talented author in the near future!!

Deathbringer - Moody atmospheric dark academia thriller

 If you love atmospheric, dark academia vibes, a new magic system piques your curiosity and a mystery to be solved titillates your reader sensibilities, with a dash of opposites attract and an FMC determined to hate her magic and her savior aspieri - this book offers the thrills, chills and mills to keep sailing through the pages.

Sonia Tagliareni crafts a potent brew of magical houses, focusing on death, a unique and morbid perspective. Add in the policies and indoctrinations which are outdated and classist, you have a system ripe for uprooting. This opener to her series is sepulchral in tone, and has its fair share of arcane and exotic elements from ghosts to serpents, which add to the dark witchery themes. 

Our heroine Viola is determined to solve her sister's murder and has to work with Sylas, a mage from an opposing house - battling prejudices, self braiding and learning her way through a complex magical school system really brings to life the magical institute and its dark underbelly in pungent hues - loved it!!!

I felt this could have been a YA book instead as the characters seemed more immature than I would expect for 20 year olds with their impulsiveness and ability to break norms. The friends as family trope is well done and the twists and turns keep the pages turning. Between loss, responsibility, patience and sacrifice, Sonia builds the storylines in a dual POV which culminates in a fevered and unexpected ending - cannot wait to catch up and read the rest!!!

Thank you to Atria books and Netgalley for sponsoring this read!

#Deathbringer #AtriaBooks #MayReleases