Styx - the River : Solitude, solace and synonymous with oaths

 A nymph who dared, the firstborn of the titans, she who was singular - this book follows the story of Styx, in Nikta Gill's prequel series of Greek retellings. Having read Hekate, I was able to appreciate the tale and the links to the characters from Hekate's perspective - Styx and Pallas and the relationship with her mother, Asteria.

Styx, is the firstborn of Oceanus, and helps her father build oceans and seas and waterways around the world, which are handed off to her brothers in the male dominated household. Her craving for solace and silence leads her to Asteria's cave, where they both discover their abilities. What follows is an aggrieved tale of a nymph and a goddess of fallen stars, who strive to build something of themselves, despite the rigid impositions of Gods and their tempestuous moods.

Bonded through friendship, nurtured through marriage, and tested through motherhood, these brave women, overcome and survive, in a society that leave them marginally handicapped and not acknowledging their true power. The depiction of modern Greek Gods was very different in this tale and really brought to fore the doom that change brings with each age.

She walks alone, the eldest, lonely until,

she found a fallen star, a cozy haven built,

through marriage she found a creator, a meeting of minds

through her choices, her legacy, she defined

My humble thank yous to Little Brown Books for young readers and Netgalley for providing the arc!

#refreshinggreekretelling #Styx #Netgalley #Septemberreads

A Snake among Swans - Courtly power ballad to the new Queen

 Bold, brutal and brilliant!

This book by Hannah Kaner, truly brought it - if you loved the maniacal power struggle from She who became the Sun, the political maneuvering that defined Game of Thrones,, then this one is an absolute MUST READ! A reverse swan fairytelling tale, where the swans rule the world, in sheer display of authority.

Tilde, the last heir of the Kithwood dynasty, is sold to their captors, to be bride to their aging KIng Liran. With six sons and a daughter besides, Liran rules his court with an iron fist and has his sons competing for power. Elise, his sole-surviving daughter, has learnt her lesson and is forced to be meek and submissive. Tilde enters the treacherous court, armed with her intellect, and her unwavering pursuit in bringing those who wrought her siblings death to account - as long or as painful an ordeal that comes to be. For Tilde has a secret, but then, so does the preen of swans that abound the court...

From grand machinations to the little powerplays to influencing the 'perception' of power by the common folk. Hannah plays piper to the tale, dragging us along skipping, wincing or dancing to her tune, as the song turns melancholy, the pursuit of revenge is bloody and you often lose yourself in its headwinds. Tilde forms an entendre with Elise, who also comes to her own, but the tale galivants across the kingdom, pitting princes, dukes, and princesses to bring their worst in this massive powerfest!

I scrummaged through the tale in 2 days and my effusive thank yous to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for allowing me the opportunity to participate in the Hunt!

She came, a viper to a swan's nest,

In green and brown, she came blessed,

Siegebreaker, the one to whom rebels knelt,

The Wing, to her, the kith woods bent,

Blessed be she of raven hair, the black swan queen, just and fair!

#AvonandHarperVoyager #Septemberreads #Asnakeamongswans #Powerplays #Courtlyintrigues

The Pumpkin Bride - Novel Shrek retelling

 If you enjoy the sunshine of fairytales and the reflection of what it is to truly live in one, with magic and curses and creatures, locked in an autumnal wonderland, then you will absolutely cherish this rendering by Fiona Buttercup!

Will Watt and Moira Quirk alternate their reading of chapters, in this honest to goodness, delightful retelling of a princess breaking a curse with true love. First off, the story is soo STINKIN CUTE! Absolutely loved the intrepid and intelligent princess Marigold and her grief over Bram. And Jask, as her cursed true love, forced to hide himself from her - such agonizing and torturous attraction - LOVED IT! Add in the mysterious neighours, the cider, the pumpkin patch and building a community - you have a beautiful, whimsical tale to cocoon yourself in for the fall season!

Usually narrators alternate characters, but in this one they read alternate chapters, if I was more partial to Will Watt's Jask and Moira's Mare - that may just be my short-hearing-ness. they pulled the magic into the air with this fairytale retelling of sorts.

The wide eyed princess, lost her knight,

Who found himself cursed, to cruel Crispin's delight,

Stuck on a farm, in the aspect of an ogre,

He mulled his lost love, over and over,

Until she, one day, escaping a sinister plot,

Turned up at his door, he could believe it not,

They muddled together, each trying to hide,

Their true love beckoning them to each other's side...

My jack-o-lantern thankyous to Harlequin Audio and Netgalley for proving me with an ALC! I listened to it in a day! it was soooo GOOOD!

#Shrekthrowback #Pumpkinbride #Fairytalerespin #Septemberreads

She who was once the Sea: Undulating novella around mermaid lore

 If you are looking for a quickie bookie that enmeshes modern and age old legends, kotowing a fine line of curses and cycles, if the prospect of curse breaking, enemies to lovers and fall hard, fall fast, appeals to your inner romantic, then pick up this one from Dana Shea.

Being a novella, this does miss the coup in terms of explaining the nature of the curse breaking and i felt the technological aspects could have been more pulled out in research instead of libraries - i mean I love google and am spoilt by it... 

Marella and Garett are poles apart on the power scale and yet come together in an effusive, effervescent and refreshing take on siren lore. the lyrical aspects of the ocean being her home, the waters speeding fast and dark while also comforting, are all brilliantly played! I also enjoyed the moral code followed by the trapped sisters, although one wonders why they didn't band together and went separately instead, as if they could not stand each others downfall...

All in all it was a happy, fast paced and completed 3 hour session with this book! My effusive thank yous to the author and Netgalley for sharing the work!

#Septemberreads #sirenlore #enemiestolovers #novella

Hawk & Sparrow - Old fashioned detective work meets magical mayhem

 If you love a good old fashioned detective story with more of hitting the pavement than google, if magical mysteries and slow, bumbling misunderstood feelings play well with you romantic inclinations, if class divides, rich vs poor and not too many backfills also turn your pages, then this book will be an absolute delight to read!

I loved Ayana Gray since I had the pleasure of I, Medusa - this book is a completely different genre - think back and white detective spiels with magicians and a convoluted plot. I think a star was lost as I felt the gaps could have been filled better, but for the offered storyline, it certainly merits a breezy read, which I completed in 2 days.

Vesper and Max are unique characters driven by prejudice and fearful to trust, the way they build their bonds, uncover each others secrets and work around the societal mores and the challenges thrown their way by the enigmatic mastermind are great to follow. I loved the twists in the storyline, when they take 2 steps in deduction, they are set back and reset and restart, which i quite enjoyed!

My thank yous to Macmillian Children's Publishing Group and Netgalley for this opportunity to read!

#Septemberreads #Hawk&Sparrow #Retrodetectives #Murdermystery

The Wolf Queen's Curse - Pack Dynamics and Political intrigue

 Kaylee Archer follows her series opener with a sequel that doesn't disappoint in the least. This book boasts of Cordelia Levine coming into her own as the Alpha's mate, and watches Bishop and Julius rally support and navigate the complicated machinations of the other London werewolf packs. The threat of Beryl Levine hangs over the reduced Albion group and the newly freed wolves and maidens have to work together to pilfer errmmm, make do until they are able to return to their homestead.

Along the way, they gather allies, old, exiled, forgotten, but potent, as Cordelia learns the more salacious details of Bishop's past. The introduction of Rufus, the progression in Ann's status within the pack and her coming into her power, Bishop and Delia finally bringing their sizzling interactions to a full blown forest fire and the mechanics of pack politics and the various mores and norms in various packs are explored brilliantly.

I feel this book has its fair measure of gotcha's and the ending is, of course, brilliant - looking forward to the third installment to be akin to the ACOTAR, third book - sooo exciting!!!

My wolfish thank yous to St Martins Press and Netgalley for keeping me part of the pack!

#Septemberreleases #thewolfqueenscurse #stmartinspress #packsandpolitics #magicalwerewolves

Immortal Rose - Masterful opening to a thrilling series

 Hands down THE BEST series I have kickstarted this year!! The art of romantasy is that exquisitely fine line between magical systems, slow burn, plot twists, reveals and a villain everyone would love to hate, with a hint of Bridgerton - Alexandra Bracken brings EVERYTHING!! 

If you lived the high stakes heists of Locke Lamora, the thrill a minute from Quicksilver and also adore the art of lyrical storytelling from Wherl of Time, then this book is an absolute must read!!! The perfumery is explored as a source of banned fairy magic, in a kingdom where patricians access it, without qualms and the common folk are incarcerated, the illegal heir to the Rosenbaum estate, Viola, finds herself caught in the crossfire..

Between developing a perfume to save the King, retaining her freedom, and escaping assassins and finding peace with who she is, we are drawn into a beautiful tale - lush in description, rich in history and winsome with its neck breaking turns!!

Hugh Thornton is her brilliant counterfoil, who deals with his demons and each of the supporting characters are unique and masterful in their abilities and their contribution to the unfolding chapter. I found myself holding my breath plenty of times! And the villain - the Duke of Glenmoor is a gorgeous villain - evil, soulless and one step ahead,  bringing a constant near panic to each chapter!! Loved every minute of the agonizing suspense!

I paced myself to relish this and found myself constantly re reading chapters abd gave ordered the physical copy as well!

My incandescent gratitude to Avon and Harper Voyager and Netgalley for granting me this opportunity! And my essence of old paper, ink and faded pressed lavender to Alexandra to hasten her next!

#Augustreleases #theimmortalrose #foundfamily #heistbased #forbiddenattraction