Synopsis:

Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world's first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party--or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, Shadow, and the Fair Folk to other people.

So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, get in the middle of Emily's research, and utterly confound and frustrate her.

But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones--the most elusive of all faeries--lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she'll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all--her own heart.

Review:

I have been in a severe reading slump for the past several months.  Although I have plenty of books to read, I just haven't been motivated to read.  But Emily Wilde's Encycloaedia of Faeries, by Heather Fawcett, was the book that made me fall in love with reading again!  It was full of engaging characters, set in a small village, and had a charming romance.  The story was full of mystery and intrigue, as well.  I just loved this novel so much, and I hope the next book comes out soon!

What I Liked:

Characters:

Emily is an unconventional main character.  She is messy, not conventionally pretty, and incompetent in social situations! But, she is lovable, all the same.  I really like that Emily is in her thirties, and has no thoughts of finding a mate.  Emily is in love with her research.  And who wouldn't be? It is about chronicling all things related to faeries!  She is so absorbed in her work that she doesn't know how to make friends, or even recognize when someone is interested in her.  I felt that she set herself apart from others because she really didn't know how to relate to most people (and perhaps didn't want to get rejected from others).

Wendell is her colleague, and fellow Faerie researcher, who follows her to the small Nordic village where Emily is studying the local Fae.  He is her exact opposite, easily charming anyone he meets, and effortlessly getting others to do his work.  Although Wendell exasperates Emily with his ways, they do get along quote well, and accept each other for who they are.

The people of the village don't know what to think of Emily, and (of course), don't like her at first.  The village has strict traditions of hospitality, which Emily hasn't bothered to learn about.  So on her first evening at the pub, she immediately gives offense by refusing to let someone pay for her dinner.   But Emily eventually wins the affections of the people with her knowledge and assistance with the Fae.  

I really liked the townspeople.  They were naturally cautious about outsiders, and needed to see that they were being respected by Emily and Wendell.  As they come to see Emily as a deeply caring person, the villagers slowly begin to cooperate and help Emily.

Setting:

Emily is researching the Faeries of the Nordic regions of Europe.  Winter is setting in, and there is a stark, yet majestic  beauty to the landscape.  Full of forests, crystal-clear lake, and towering mountains, this is already a magical setting.  The author does a wonderful job of integrating the landscape into the story, and made me want to visit this fictional place!

I loved the small village, where Emily is quite the outsider.  Having lived most of her life as an academic in England makes her ill-equipped to handle the unforgiving weather.  At first, Emily is constantly cold, and hungry, as she must learn how to chop wood, make a fire and fetch her own water.  As expected, the townspeople find this hilarious, but do step in when they realize Emily really doesn't known how to do things.  They teach her how to survive in their harsh climate, showing Emily great patience.

Romance:

Although Wendell and Emily are colleagues, and are used to each other, they are really thrown together in this situation.  The reader gradually sees that Wendell is in love with Emily; but the character herself is oblivious.  There is also the mystery of why Wendell is in the village in the first place.  Is he really there to do research on Faeries?  Or is this just a ruse to spend more time with Emily? I love how the friendship evolves over time.  As I really liked Emily, it was lovely to see that others really valued her as she was.

Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Release Date:  January 10th, 2023

Author:  Heather Fawcett

Publisher:  Del Rey Books

Genre:  Fantasy

Page Length:  336 pages 

Source:  NetGalley

Format:  E-Book

Recommendation:  Overall, this was a highly entertaining book with characters and situations that made this a quick and enjoyable read.

Please Note:  I received an advance audio copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Between life and death there is a library, and within that library, the shelves go on forever. Every book provides a chance to try another life you could have lived. To see how things would be if you had made other choices . . . Would you have done anything different, if you had the chance to undo your regrets?”

A dazzling novel about all the choices that go into a life well lived, from the internationally bestselling author of Reasons to Stay Alive and How To Stop Time.

Somewhere out beyond the edge of the universe there is a library that contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of your life as it is, along with another book for the other life you could have lived if you had made a different choice at any point in your life. While we all wonder how our lives might have been, what if you had the chance to go to the library and see for yourself? Would any of these other lives truly be better?

In The Midnight Library, Matt Haig’s enchanting new novel, Nora Seed finds herself faced with this decision. Faced with the possibility of changing her life for a new one, following a different career, undoing old breakups, realizing her dreams of becoming a glaciologist; she must search within herself as she travels through the Midnight Library to decide what is truly fulfilling in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place.

Review:

I listened to The Midnight Library, by Matt Haig, as part of my book club, but also because I received a copy through Penguin Random House Audio's reviewers program.  I didn't quite know what to expect.  Was the story a fantasy, or a contemporary fiction?  It was all that and more.  

As a young woman lingers between life and death, she is transported into "The Midnight Library" where she can reflect about how her choices shaped her life.  She is given opportunities to open new "books" of her life, where she makes different choices, to see if she would rather life that life.  She's a scientist, a rock star, married with kids, married without kids, and everything in between.

Is this really happening?  Or is this just her mind cycling through many fleeting thoughts as she is dying?  We don't really know.  I found this book to be a thoughtful reflection on depression, our life choices, and the regrets we all feel.  It was also really fun to see the different versions of Nora, and the unintended consequences of her decisions.

What I Liked:

Narrator:

Carey Mulligan adds so much as the story's narrator.  This novel centers around a British woman, so having her lovely accent made Nora a much more believable person to me as a listener.  Plus, Milligan is very good at acting out all the characters.  There are different versions of many of the people in Nora's life.  But I never felt confused by all the characters.  She made each one come to life.

Premise:

If you could make different life choices, would you?  What if you had said yes to that person who wanted to meet for coffee?  What if you had pursued that dream of being a musician?  On the surface, Nora likes the idea that her life would have been better if only she had made different decisions.  Since her current life seems very bleak, this also only reinforces the guilt she feels that she is responsible for her misery, and also for her brother's messed up life.  Filled with so much regret, it's no wonder she is depressed.

Themes:

As Nora tries out different versions of her life, she see that not only her story has changed, but the people in her life also have different outcomes. But is she responsible or are they?  This theme of responsibility, and accountability, continues throughout the book.  It seemed to me that she was certainly responsible for her own choices, but never had control of how others reacted. 

There was message that although the grass is always greener in your neighbor's yard, no life is perfect.  Every life Nora chose had good points and bad.  Even in situations where Nora seems to "have it all", she deals with pressures, and disappointments. She also starts to realize that maybe her first life wasn't all bad.  

Characters:

Nora is a woman dealing with depression, and is full of regrets.  At the start of the book, she can't help but feel her life is beyond repair.  She blames herself for everything that has gone wrong with her life, and for any bad thing that her loved ones experience.  With so much unhappiness and guilt, it's not surprising she considers suicide.  As she considers all the different lives she could have, I found myself empathizing with Nora.  Haven't we all thought "if only" we had made more of an effort, our lives would be better?  I think we all have those thoughts at various moments.

Multiple Life Stories:

I loved all the different versions on Nora's life.  Who doesn't dream of being a rock star?  Or an Olympic champion?  Or living a quiet life as a winemaker (okay, maybe that is just a California dream)?  Each story was compelling as Nora has to first, figure out where she is, and what her new life is like.  How does she do this?  Mr. Google, of course!  But, often, she pops into another life right in the middle of something important.  I really enjoyed the story where Nora was a rock star. She jumps into that life on stage, in the middle of a performance!  This sounds like an anxiety dream (nightmare) I often have!  

The stories also show that each life comes with a set of challenges that never let her be completely happy all the time.  There are always problems.  How you deal with them is what determines if you can remain satisfied with your life, or not.

Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Release Date:  September 29th, 2020

Author:  Matt Haig

Audio Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio

Audio Narrator:  Carey Mulligan

Audio Length:   8 Hours, 50 Minutes

Print Publisher:  Viking Press

Page Length:  288 Pages

Source:  Penguin Random House Audio

Format:  Audiobook

Recommendation:  I truly entertaining novel.  This was fun, but also bittersweet and thoughtful.  I highly recommend this book.

Please Note:  I received an advance copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.  This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Michael Kingman thought he was going to die by the executioner’s axe, forever labeled as a traitor. Still alive, and under the protection of the Orbis Mercenary company, Michael and his family and friends are deeply involved in the seemingly rival conspiracies that are tearing The Hollows apart. With the death of the King, both the Corrupt Prince and his sister Serena are vying for the throne, while the Rebel Emperor is spreading lies amongst the people, and all of them want Michael dead. This is a story of betrayal, murder, and rebellion, and in this direct sequel to the debut novel The Kingdom of Liars, also some hope for justice.

Review:

For the most part, I try not to review books in a series unless I have read the previous books first.  Imagine how dismayed I was when I finally had time to read The Two-Faced Queen, by Nick Martell, only to realize that this was book two in a series!  I guess I was too enamoured by the beautiful cover when I requested it from NetGalley.

"Okay," I thought, "no problem. I can knock out the first book, then move on to the next one."

So, I downloaded the The Kingdom of Liars (book one) from the library and learned that it was nearly 600 pages!  I then checked on how long The Two-Faced Queen was, also around 600 pages.  Oh boy!  Well, after a marathon of reading over the last week and a half, I have finally read both novels.  My head is spinning from the rich world-building, the huge cast of characters, and layered storytelling.  It was totally worth it.

What I Liked:

World-Building:

This fantasy book has a complex world of magic, and societies, with checks and balances built into both systems.  Only some could use magic, but it's use came at a price.  The most common type of magic was called Fabrications.  People lose memories each time they use this type of magic.  The stronger the magic, the more memories a person loses.  If someone uses a small amount of magic they may forgets the name of an object.  If they use a large amount of magic  they forget entire days, or who their loved ones are.  Eventually. if one uses too much magic, they become a Forgotten, who loses all their memories.  I loved this check on power.  

The society that the novel is set in is really complicated.  The kingdom is called Hallow, and there is a rigid class system in place.  Besides royalty, there are high and low Nobles, several organized religions, military divisions like the Ravens and Scales, Mercenaries, and then there is the Kingman family.  This family is not royalty, but is directly bound to the royal family.  They are just as influential as the royals, and are the only people who can speak freely to (and be a check on) the royals they are bound to.

Language:

While I am not a person who normally likes lots of cursing in books, I found the language used in this novel to be quite refreshing.  Yes, this is a fantasy world that seems to be set in medieval times (aren't they all).  But there are an abundance of F bombs and other, more modern, speech.  Yes, the author could have made up curse words.  But, I've always felt that device was a bit trite.  If you have a bunch of twenty-something people together, no matter the time, there ought to be a fair amount of cursing, carousing, and bad behavior.  This made the characters much more relatable for me.

Characters:

The focus of the story is on Michael Kingman, who feels the full weight of his family's legacy.  He and his siblings, Gwen and Lyon, have been told over and over that they are to live a life of service to Hallow.  They really reminded me of the Kennedy clan in America.  There are people in this family who have done amazing things, and others who never live up to their potential.  Since their father has been found guilty of killing one of the royal princes ten years earlier, the Kingman family have been in disgrace.  But Michael never believed his father was guilty.  Now Michael has been accused of killing another royal, and he must convince Serena, the princess he is bound to, that he didn't do it.

There are many other characters who feel the weight of family history on their lives.  Besides Michael and Serena, there is Dark, a Mercenary who is hell-bent on destroying his father.  Chloe, a Raven who must try to live up to her mother's high standards as the group's leader.  Trey, Michael's best friend, grew up in an abusive situation and is determined to lift up his section of the kingdom out of poverty.  Everyone is driven to prove themselves.  There are a lot of backstories to keep track of.  However, the author weaves a tale where this all makes sense.  Thankfully, if the reader does become confused, there is a handy list at the front of the book to show who belongs to which family, and what part of society.

Story:

There are plots, and sub-plots, enough to make your head spin.  There is the constant threat that a royal or a nobel will kill Michael to avenge the death of Serena's father.  There is the thread about Michael's mother trying to rebuild the family's place in society.  There is a plot about immortals who may secretly be controlling everything.  There are several love stories happening as well.  All of this is happening while a rebellion is expected occur in the near future.  

At times, it was difficult to understand just where the story was headed.  Is it a story about the Princess's ascension to the throne?  Is this a story about a serial killer who is targeting pretty much everyone?  Or is this a story of revenge on the Kingman family by those who have been wronged by them in the past?  If you answered yes to ALL of these questions, you would be correct!  This is why the book is nearly 600 pages.

The story really goes in a million directions and it takes a while for everything to come together.  But, the result is a richly layered story in a vibrant world.  I really felt I could follow it for several hundred more pages, and I would still be enthralled. 

Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Release Date:  March 23rd, 2021

Author:  Nick Martell

Publisher:  Gallery/Saga Press

Genre:  Fantasy

Page Length:  592 Pages

Source:  NetGalley

Format:  E-Book

Recommendation:  Filled with a rich world and exciting characters, this is a wonderful fantasy series that you will gladly want to read more and more.  A thrilling page-turner.

Synopsis (From Goodreads):

France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets.

Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world.

But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name. 

Review:

I am a huge fan of V.E. Schwab.  I follow her on Instagram and have been following the saga of the writing of this book.  One can tell the author put their heart and soul into this project.  Although I found the beginning rather slow, the novel became a haunting story of the balance between freedom and responsibility.  With a unique premise, and three complex characters, this was a real treat.

What I Liked:

Premise:

The premise is based on a deal with the devil.  What would you give up in order to have complete freedom?  Of course, when Adeline (Addie), desperate to escape an arranged marriage, makes the deal, she doesn't understand what she is signing up for: an immortality where people forget her the moment she walks away.

I loved how the author shows all the practicalities of this kind of existence.  What does Addie do for money?  She can't hold a job.  Where can she spend the night?  How can she form any kind of relationships when she is utterly forgettable?

Characters:

I loved Addie's resilience.  Each year, on the anniversary of her deal with the devil, Luc (the "devil") visits her to taunt her into despair.  But, Addie refuses to give up.  She learns to live within the confines of her curse, and appreciate the beauty and experiences she is able to witness.

She also figures out small ways in which she can leave her mark.  While she can't, herself, create physical art, she inspires artists to paint her image.  And over time, she also is the muse for countless musical compositions.  It's her way of finding meaning in her life.

Luc, the devil/god who grants these tainted wishes, becomes more real to Addie over time.  At first, Luc is just a scary mythical creature dressed up as an attractive man.  But, we learn that Luc also finds immortality boring.  He finds Addie to be a challenge.  Does he want Addie to give up, or join him?  I like that the author doesn't romanticize Luc.  Addie never loses sight that Luc is not a man, he is a dark creature who steals souls.

Henry is another person who struggles to live with the deal he made with Luc.  He trades his soul for everyone to accept and love him.  At first, he finds the power of this intoxicating.  Everyone is attracted to him, or at least adore him in an platonic way.  But as her realizes that it's all forced from his "deal", he can't see past the lie.  

I really likened his situation to that of a famous person we see on a television show.  Everyone thinks they know him, but they only see what they want to see.  They give him love and adoration without ever knowing him well.  Henry can't make a true connection to anyone because they can't really see the real man.  Could this be the author's feelings about fame, showing through her writing?

Story:

I found the story to be a slow burn.  It took a while for me to get invested in the novel because it did take a while for anything to happen.  The set up was long.  But the payoff was experiencing, with Addie, the joys and pitfalls of a life spanning hundreds of years.  While she pays a steep price for immortality, she also gets to witness a world that changes from groups of self- contained communities, to a place where every place is connected.  I cheered for Addie and Henry, hoping they could connect and stay together.  This was a truly endearing book.

Rating: 

Release Date:  October 6th, 2020

Author:  V.E. Schwab

Publisher:  Tor Books

Genre:  Fantasy

Page Length:  442 Pages

Source:  Bought

Format:  Hardcover

Recommendation: A beautiful story of finding the balance between having the freedom of anonymity and the burden of being seen.  I loved it.

Please Note:  I received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  This does not affect the opinions in my review in any way.

Synopsis (From GoodReads):

Review: